Five Kisses
by princesspomegranate
Summary: A book and a bargain are just the beginning of Loki and Sigyn's relationship... LokixSigyn. Pre-Thor/Avengers.
1. Searching For A Book

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs and my ideas. :)**

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The Asgardian library was one far different to those found on Midgard. The Asgardian library was more a colossal hall devoted to the safe-keeping of many old and precious books left there to accumulate over the years. It differed also as it was not a place for the borrowing of books, unless you happened to get on the good side of the Archive Keeper- a good side that was very hard to locate as his love and dedication for the books he cared for _far_ outweighed his feelings for his fellow Asgardians.

In fact, it often took many years of reading and treating books with 'the care they deserved' under his vigilant watch before he would allow anyone to take a book from the giant hall. Even then, it would be only for a limited amount of time; in his opinion, the longer a book was out of his sight, the more damage that could be inflicted upon it.

One of the only women in the entire history of Asgard that had been able to convince the Archive Keeper of the fact that they cared about books just as much he did- well, not _quite_ as much as he did, but who could do that?- was Sigyn. A maiden of eighteen Midgardian years, Sigyn had spent many of her younger years alone and in the library.

She had never really taken to the games and the gossip that her twin sisters thrived on; or the way that they obsessively followed over any little detail about a potential suitor even though they were two years younger than Sigyn and had only just begun their courting years.

That was another thing Sigyn had seemed not to care about; courting. She much preferred the quietness and intelligence she found in the library to the mindless chatter and inane babble that came with courting. The fact that this was her view on the matter, in addition to her less than enthusiastic demeanour, had resulted in Sigyn managing so far to avoid courting altogether. She didn't consider it a loss though; she had sworn to herself long ago that she wouldn't spend her life in misery for the sake of the tradition of marriage. She'd rather be alone than unhappy.

Sigyn climbed one of the many ladders dotted around the rows and rows of stone shelving, so high that they could have been the columns supporting the building, in an attempt to find a book she'd been searching for for hours. She'd yet to find it in a place she could reach, yet being only just more than five feet tall, it wasn't hard to find that a lot of things were out of her reach.

The gold furnishings; the wall length, high curtains and the cushions on the high-backed chairs, combined with the candlelight sheen, gave everything a slightly soft and golden glow to it; even Sigyn's skin. It also made looking for a book a much harder task as there were particular areas of the library where that golden light jut made it that much more difficult to read the words on the spines old and dark book covers.

The Archive Keeper had grudgingly informed her after she'd been searching for some time that the book she wanted was somewhere in the middle of the huge shelf she was now scanning. Sigyn looked down at the floor to see how far she'd climbed. The floor was stone, so shiny it was reflective, and all she could see in that reflection was herself- not as high as she needed to be.

When she found herself midway up the massive shelf, her index finger travelled over the spines of the books in front of her, left to right. Sigyn paused on one small volume that she could not decipher the name of from its spine. Holding to the rail of the ladder, she reached over and slowly wormed it out of the place it was quite tightly wedged.

There was no need for her to blow away a layer of dust as nothing of the like covered the book she held. The Archive Keeper had enough magic in him to keep the library free of dust and the book-eating pests that might have troubled so large a library as this in another realm.

It did not take Sigyn long to realise that the book in her hand was not the one she searched for. _Typical_, she thought, a sigh tempering her breath. She held onto the rail again as she leant over to slot it back into its rightful place on the shelf.

But as she did, Sigyn heard a voice from below say, "It's not there."

In shock, the book in her hand slipped from her grasp. Sigyn looked down quickly, her eyes following its fall, only to see it land in the opened palm of Prince Loki. She blinked silver eyes at the sight. He hadn't been there a moment ago; but he was there now, leaning against the bookshelf as if he had been there for quite some time.

He was the Trickster God though, she knew; and she had seen him many times in the Asgardian library, seeking out the same pursuits as herself. But she had never spoken to him before; she knew it was not her place. And he had never set his tricks her way before, not even looked her way as she passed- until now, it seemed.

Sigyn didn't realise how long she'd been staring at Loki until he said, "You should be more careful."

Stirring herself into motion, Sigyn began climbing down the ladder towards where Loki was.

If the library hadn't been so quiet then she wouldn't have heard him add, "A book might not be the only thing that falls when you're not paying attention."

She took the final step off of the ladder and stared at Loki oddly for a long moment. This was a strange way to first meet someone, and that was a strange thing for him to have said; but then again, the things she'd heard about Loki were _all_ at least a little strange.

Loki raised a brow at her stare, before Sigyn realised what was going on. She blinked and bowed her head, some of her curling blonde hair slipping in front of her face. She could barely believe that she'd managed somehow to forget that he was the prince and that she should address him as such. Apparently, she'd been too preoccupied with finding him strange that she'd become an idiot.

"My Prince-"

"Your book," he interrupted, holding the fallen object out to her before letting her finish.

She looked up at Loki again, a slightly confused expression forming on her features. Slowly, she took the book from the prince that she had not spoken to before this instance.

"Thank you," she said, knowing already that it wasn't the book she wanted.

But as Sigyn looked down at the book in her hand, she noticed that it was not the one that she had dropped. It was, in fact, the book that she had been searching for. She didn't even know how he knew what book she'd been looking for, let alone how he'd managed to switch it with the one she'd dropped. Sigyn looked up at him, not even bothering to try and hide the surprise in her expression.

"How did you-?"

The smirk that appeared on Loki's face was enough to stop her finishing her sentence. But she still didn't understand. And that was the only reply he gave before walking away, leaving her to frown to herself in both confusion and surprise.

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**Author's Note: If you're new to reading anything I've written, Hi. :) If you're not, don't hate me for starting another fanfic- my obsession with Tom Hiddleston has been refusing to let me write anything else until I get this out of my system. :)**

**So anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter and will let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	2. Sitting In A Tree

Sigyn tried not to spend too much time dwelling on her peculiar first meeting with the younger Prince of Asgard; but it was hard. She couldn't help but get an odd feeling about that encounter. Why had he spoken to her? Why had he helped her find the book she'd spent so long looking for? Why had he smirked like that and refused to reply to her question?

But the only logical explanation that she could come up with was that Loki had only done what he had, giving her no reason as to why or how he'd done it, so that she would spend her time thinking about it. _Trickster God_, _indeed_, she thought, shaking her head to try and turn herself from those thoughts.

Sigyn took the book that Loki had found for her and left the library, heading immediately for her favourite reading spot. She craved the quiet, and the self-imposed loneliness she found in her secret place. She stopped a while into a nearby forest that held no game, which meant no happy hunters riding through too jovially for Sigyn's liking. Her favourite spot was empty now, as it always was, and Sigyn paused beside an old and familiar tree.

Long ago, she'd discovered this little place, this haven from the business and tediousness of everywhere else. She'd found it so tranquil that she couldn't resist coming back every so often, whenever she wanted to get away from the trivial conversation that did not, but probably should have, concerned her.

Sigyn tucked her book under her arm and hoisted the bottom of her dress so that it only reached midway up her thighs, tying it in a knot so that it stayed up. Then she climbed. She was used to climbing this tree; she had been climbing it for years, and by now she knew every indent and handhold, so it wasn't long before she found herself resting on the large branch that she'd discovered made a perfect aerial seat.

Once there, she undid the tie in her dress, letting it slip back down to cover her legs again. It was just a precaution in case anyone, however unlikely it was, pass by her secret reading place. With a sigh, Sigyn opened her book. Leaning back against the somewhat smooth bark of the tree she'd climbed, she found herself truly content.

Until she felt something entwine itself in her hair; something that was neither blonde, nor curly, and that _definitely_ should not have been there. Sigyn looked to her right shoulder, frowning, only to find herself staring straight at a thin, green snake. She was so startled at the sight that she lost her balance and slipped backwards from her high branch.

If she hadn't known that tree's handholds and supports then Sigyn would have fallen. It could have been quite serious, in fact. As it was though, even falling, Sigyn knew where there was a branch she could grab hold of and use to swing down to the ground, and she only just caught it to set herself right. Breathing heavily from shock and adrenaline as her feet touched the ground, she couldn't help but think about how she'd never seen any snakes in or near that tree before.

She only got to wonder about it for a moment, as another thing she'd never seen in or near the tree stepped out from behind it. Loki. Sigyn whirled around and saw him, standing there with that same smirk on his face. She stared at him, confused, as he bent to pick up her book from the grassy floor it had fallen onto.

"It seems like we've been here before," he commented, as he stood straight again.

"My prince," she exclaimed, still trying to calm her heavy breathing.

He tilted his head to the right, vivid blue eyes trained on her.

"You appear to be right," she finished, attempting, and failing at making light of the situation.

In her opinion, it was quite hard to actively and cheerfully smile after she'd just had the wits scared out of her. Sigyn looked back up at the tree as if to see where the snake had gone now. She couldn't see it, but she did notice that Loki followed her gaze.

"There was a snake," she said, by way of an attempted explanation.

At that, his already present smirk only grew wider.

"What?" she asked, confused.

The prince remained silent and Sigyn just stared at him until realisation dawned on her.

"Wait a second- you... you didn't- did you?"

Loki shrugged, his eyebrows mimicking the up and down gesture. But she didn't fail to notice the amusement in the smirk turning his lips. Sigyn scowled at him. _The God of Mischief_; she knew why he was called that now.

"Why on Asgard would you do that?"

"Why not?" was his simple reply.

She gaped at him, utterly astonished.

"Why- _why not?_ You just made a snake appear and I fell out of a tree!" she said, her voice and temper rising quickly.

"Just a bit of fun really," Loki answered.

"_Fun_? I could have _died_! I mean- who _does_ that?

His eyebrows rose again. She could have seen it as a reminder of her place, but Sigyn was just too annoyed right then to care about that. The amusement was still there, in his eyes, and it only made her more annoyed.

But just as she was about to continue, Loki said, "You are in a forest, who is to say that it wouldn't have happened anyway? Who's to say that you hadn't decided to sit in a tree full of the creatures?"

He looked up at the tree at his side. She followed his gaze and found herself staring at the same tree, the one that she'd climbed and sat in so regularly, only now, the branches and the leaves had turned to writhing snakes, all of that same green colour. Sigyn blinked in surprise, but only felt more confused when she opened her eyes again to see that the snakes had all vanished.

"I don't know how you're doing that, but I'd greatly appreciate it if you didn't."

"Or what?" Loki challenged, grinning.

"Or else I'm going to start thinking that I did not stop myself from falling, and that I _did_ actually hit my head and am now hallucinating everything."

"That seems quite logical. Perhaps you are hallucinating this," he answered, twisting her words.

"Don't say that."

Ignoring her, he went on to say, "And perhaps this is just your subconscious mind questioning your delusions."

"Great. _Thank you_ for making me think I'm delusional, I really appreciate that," she said dryly, rolling her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger.

Sigyn closed her eyes in frustration. She could feel a headache brewing regardless of whether she had hit her head or not.

"So, as _much_ as I appreciate this-"

Sigyn stopped talking as she opened her eyes. Loki was gone. Looking around quickly, she could find no trace of him anywhere. _Maybe it was just me... Maybe I did hit my head_, she thought grimly. But there was one ironclad piece to the puzzle that refused to let her believe that. Her book was gone. And she knew exactly who had it.

Scowling, Sigyn took a seat on the grassy floor with her back to the tree she'd slipped out of. She didn't think she'd ever been so irritated in her life, not even by her twin sisters who literally came with the adjective attached to their names.

_Stupid God of Mischief_, she mentally cursed him. _Why doesn't he pick on someone else?_

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**Author's Note: I'm clearly having too much fun writing LokixSigyn if I've got this up in 24 hours. :P Oh welllllllll. :P Would love to know what you guys are thinking about this story, Loki, Sigyn, etc.. :)**

**Kit xx**


	3. Giving An Explanation

After what had happened in the forest, Sigyn knew that she wasn't going to get her book back anytime soon. And she refused to give Loki the satisfaction of having her go to him, begging for its return. No, she would rather try any other option than _that_. The problem was that her only other option was to go to the Archive Keeper and hope that he'd understand her dilemma. And he just wasn't a very understanding person.

Sigyn went there knowing that the Archive Keeper was notorious for venting anger at anyone who mistreated, lost or returned books later than the allotted time he'd given them. But she also knew that she really didn't have a choice. She would _not_ go to Loki and ask for it back. This was a matter of pride now. He could try to have all the fun he liked, but if she could stop him, then she was determined to. She wouldn't play his games unless she absolutely had to.

She walked back to the library with a frown still on her face and annoyance still colouring her cheeks. Loki certainly seemed to know how to push her buttons even after only meeting her twice- and he seemed to be enjoying doing it too. Sigyn couldn't help but feel glad that they had only had the pleasure of meeting twice- any more than that and she might have been in danger of strangling the man, prince or no prince.

Sigyn didn't understand why he had chosen to play his tricks on her, but she _did_ understand what she'd heard others say about him now. The Trickster God. He shouldn't be trusted. Anyone near him is in danger of his games. Sigyn had encountered all three of those things in one day- she couldn't imagine what a lifetime with him would be like. _His poor family_, she thought, pushing open the grand doors to the library she was so familiar with.

She stepped into the library and quickly located the Archive Keeper. She frowned. She had to brace herself to even attempt to talk to the man normally, and this was not a normal circumstance. She'd thought _she_ found better company in books than in people, but the Archive Keeper took affection for the written word to a whole new level. He certainly was _not_ a people person.

And now, Sigyn was biting her bottom lip just at the prospect of revealing what had happened with Loki. She was already guessing at how unsympathetic the Archive Keeper was going to be to her plight. She could predict that this was not going to be a conversation she enjoyed, and that there was most likely going to be yelling involved. On second thought, she _knew_ there was going to be yelling involved.

The Archive Keeper looked up from his work as she approached. There was no smile on his face- Sigyn was pretty sure that the man had never in his life directed a smile towards another Asgardian- but there was no animosity there either. _Yet_, she thought.

"Enjoying the book?" he asked.

She gulped down the lump sticking in her throat and answered, "_About_ that... I _was_ enjoying it..."

"Why do I get the feeling that '_I was_' means something bad..." the Archive Keeper started, a frown already creasing his wrinkled forehead.

"Just hear me out before you say anything-"

"Knew it! How _did_ I _know_ this was going to end badly?"

"Well that's not really hearing me out-" Sigyn tried to reason.

"Did you damage the book?"

"No, I-"

"Did you lose it?"

"No- no, I didn't _lose _it... It- it kind of... got stolen..."

The Archive Keeper blinked, pausing in his building rage for a moment.

"Stolen?

She nodded quickly, seeing the slight lapse in the anger filling his expression.

"By who?"

"Loki," she replied, hoping that he believed her.

The man raised his too-thick and greying eyebrows at her, in almost disbelief. _Great_, Sigyn thought. _I had a feeling he wouldn't believe me. _She just stared at him seriously while he mulled her explanation over.

"_Prince_ Loki?" he said doubtfully, the disbelief evident in his squinting eyes.

"Yes. _Really_, he did."

"Well, why didn't you try to stop him then?"

"I _did_ try-"

"Didn't do a very good job."

"There's not really that much I could have done; he literally picked it up and vanished," Sigyn tried to defend herself.

"A _likely_ story," the Archive Keeper said, rolling his eyes at her.

"It's the truth!"

"Well then you'll have absolutely no problems going to the prince and getting it back now, will you?"

"But, I-" Sigyn tried to object.

"_No_ _buts_, you either bring back the book- and _soon_- or you don't come back into my library. And I _mean_ that!"

"How am I supposed to do that- he's the _prince_!" she protested.

"You'll figure something out if you ever want to take one step in my library again."

Sigyn was scowling now. She didn't even have time to voice another objection before the Archive Keeper had shooed her out of the library. _Absolutely typical_, she thought, watching as he disappeared, slamming the door behind him just to make a point. _Great; if I ever want to go back in there then I have to get that book back. Stupid Loki_, she thought, grimacing.

But, with a sigh, Sigyn hung her head. She knew _exactly_ where she had to go next, and to force herself to go there, she would have to bid goodbye to the pride she had been so determined to hold onto. _This is probably what he wanted all along_, she realised as she walked towards the palace, sulking. _Well played, Loki. Well played._


	4. Sucking It Up

It took Sigyn some time to make her way to the palace, mostly because she was purposefully dawdling in an attempt to delay the imminent. She was still replaying in her mind how she'd ended up in this situation, unsure of what it was exactly that she'd done to get Loki to focus his tricks on her.

_Nothing_. Sigyn knew that she'd done nothing to the Prince of Asgard; but for some reason he was still choosing to play his games with her as the centre piece. With her as the fool. She frowned to herself, an expression of hers that was becoming all too common since she'd met Loki that morning. _Was it only this morning?_ she wondered. _It feels like he's been harassing me for days._

She looked up as she reached the edge of the palace grounds. To find Loki, she'd have to enter the palace, and Sigyn was almost sure that the guards weren't going to let her in. But she had to try anyway. Besides, if she had been right about this being Loki's plan anyway, then he would probably have considered this and come up with some sort of solution. It would make her life easier if he had anyway...

Sigyn came to a stop in front of two guards that were obviously ready to stop her entering the palace if she tried. Maybe Loki didn't feel like making things easier for her after all. _Why doesn't that surprise me?_ she thought, fighting back a deeper frown.

"Your business?" one of them asked her.

She looked at the tall man on her right. He was burly and heavily armoured as most palace guards were, but Sigyn couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable under his harsh and unwelcoming gaze.

Licking her suddenly dry lips, she answered, "I'm here to see Prince Loki."

"Many people come to see Prince Loki. I asked for your business, not who your business was with," the guard replied.

Sigyn stared at the man, slightly affronted by his rudeness. She blinked at him, wondering if he had meant to be so impolite; yet the expression he had now adopted seemed to prove that he obviously had.

"Forgive my friend here, my lady," began the other guard. "You must understand that we get a number of Asgardians coming here daily, demanding that they see Prince Loki, and that he undo some trick or other he has played upon them. We only ask for your business to determine the safety of our Prince."

Sigyn's gaze shifted to the guard on her left; his explanation was sound at least. Protecting the royal family was their job; she just wished the other guard would get some people skills before he spoke. She couldn't help but think he was ill-suited to a position at the main entrance of the palace. _Perhaps a dungeon, or somewhere out of sight where he never actually has to speak to anyone..._

"Oh, I see," she said. "Yes... that makes sense."

"Your business?" the first guard repeated, his words more of a demand than a question.

She bit her lip to avoid replying to the guard in a way that would guarantee that she wasn't allowed to pass them, and instead tried to come up with an explanation that didn't make her sound like one of the _'number of Asgardians coming here daily, demanding that they see Prince Loki, and that he undo some trick or other he played upon them.'_

"Prince Loki took something from me- a book- and it does not belong to me. The Archive Keeper of the Asgardian library has... _requested_ that I ask the prince for its return," she tried to explain.

"Ah, the_ Archive Keeper_," said the guard on her right, the more polite one, as if he seemed sympathetic to her plight.

There was a slight silence between them, following which Sigyn quietly asked, "You're still not going to let me in though, are you?"

As the guard that Sigyn thought had no manners was about to shake his head, the other enquired, "What is your name girl?"

A little taken aback, she answered, "Sigyn Iwaldidottir."

She didn't miss the curious look between the two guards; the look that proceeded them seemingly changing their minds instantly and allowing her entry to the palace. Sigyn couldn't help but find their sudden change of heart rather odd, but she said nothing. At least she was getting into the palace, no matter _how_ strangely. Before she left the guards though, she questioned them for directions to the God of Mischief's whereabouts.

Unsurprisingly, the friendlier of the two men answered her, "Follow the path and enter though the first building. From there turn right and continue down that corridor until you reach a set of large doors. He should be just beyond there."

Sigyn nodded and thanked the guard, a little confused at the fact he seemed to know _exactly_ where Loki would be. _Unless Loki _does_ want me to have to come to him_._ The way they changed their minds about letting me in and then telling me his location... It would make so much sense._

She felt another frown forming on her face as she followed their directions exactly until she ended up at the doors she'd had described for her. She wondered if she should knock; it would have been the polite thing to do. But Sigyn wasn't feeling very polite right now. She had good reason to be irritated with Loki, whether he was her prince or not.

She slowly pushed open one of the double doors and stepped inside of the adjoining room, a large hall that had a huge golden table, all laid out in finery, at its centre. It was a beautiful room; and almost otherwise empty, but Sigyn couldn't look at the beauty of it; she was too preoccupied with scowling at the figure clad in black and green that sat on the ledge of the balcony, one leg dangling off of it. The figure that was reading _her_ book.

"You really shouldn't frown so much, your face might get stuck like that."

Sigyn heard his voice from behind her and jumped, quickly spiralling around to face him. Confused, she looked between the Loki behind her and the one now in front of her, until she watched the illusion on the balcony fade away. She could only scowl at the God of Mischief, irritated that he seemed to revel in tricking her so.

"Do you just enjoy making me jump?" she asked, more than a little annoyed.

"Yes."

She stared at him. The amusement in his voice had been clearer than the way the corner of his lips turned upward, wanting to smile. She just wanted to yell at him. She'd had quite enough of this. But he was her prince though, and, as much as she _wanted_ to shout at him, she knew that only bad things could come from acting on her feelings. Loki could see her rising anger though, and allowed himself to smile.

"Would you prefer I had lied?"

_God of Mischief and Lying. Typical._

Sigyn tried to brush that comment off by changing the subject.

"I came for-"

"Your book; I guessed. That's why I told the guards let you in. Do you think you'd be in here otherwise?"

She scowled. She had been right about that then, his intention had been to bring her here.

"Can I have it back then?" she enquired, trying not to let Loki wind her up any more than he already had.

He looked at her for a moment, tilting his head to the side as he considered her question.

"Well this book seems to mean quite a lot to you, little Sigyn. Tell me, why should I return it to you?"

She blinked.

"Um, because... it'd be... nice?" she replied eventually, frowning.

His head remained tilted, and it might have actually looked as if he was truly thinking about giving her book back to her. But Sigyn could tell that Loki was just toying with her... He really did seem to enjoy playing with her, as if she was some puppet in a game and he had a hold of her strings.

"Oh, I don't think that's _quite_ enough of a incentive now, do you? We'll have to think of something worthy of an exchange, perhaps."

She opened her mouth to reply, but Loki began speaking before she could say anything.

"I _will_ return your book to you."

Sigyn was a little taken a back at the sudden change. It was almost too good to be true. In fact, it _was_ too good to be true, and she knew it. What was the catch?

"There is a condition, however," he continued.

_There it is_, she thought dryly. What horrible thing would the God of Mischief demand she do? A number of awful images flickered through her mind at the mere thought of a '_condition'_, until she forced herself to just ask what it was. At least then she'd know what horrendous thing he wanted her to do.

"What is it?" she asked.

"In return for your book, you owe me."

"_What_ do I owe you?" Sigyn queried, knowing that she had to get _all_ of the details of this bargain before she even thought about agreeing.

Loki smirked at her question. It seemed that she was smart enough to think this through. _Good_, he thought.

"Five kisses," he replied.

Sigyn blinked.

"Sorry, what?"

She wasn't quite sure that she had heard him correctly. She could have sworn he'd just said something about...

"You will owe me five kisses, to be freely given by you whenever I should so ask... If you wish for the return of you book that is."

She stared at him blankly for a long time. Kisses? _Kisses? He wants _kisses_?_ She didn't at all understand why Loki would have _that_ as a condition when he could have asked anything of her, knowing that she would most likely agree just to get her book back and be allowed back inside her beloved library.

But agreeing to the condition he proposed wouldn't be all _that_ bad... would it? It wasn't like she was agreeing to anything more than a few- well, _five_- kisses. And it wasn't as if Loki was hideous or anything. In a strange way he was quite attractive; tall and lean, he was a striking figure. No one seemed to realise that though, because he seemed to fade into the background, somehow going largely unnoticed, if placed alongside his brother, the God of Thunder, who in comparison, was huge and muscular.

Biting her lip, Sigyn realised that Loki was her prince and had he commanded these kisses of her she would have felt compelled, _however_ _reluctantly_, to comply anyway. This was almost an easy way out of a bargain for her. He was asking for nothing that he couldn't have ordered from her anyway.

"That's it?" she asked, just to confirm.

Loki inclined his head and remained silent. He had no need for his silver tongue right now; he could already see that Sigyn was going to talk herself into accepting his bargain. It was almost as if he could see exactly how her brain was working, figuring out his proposal.

"I accept the terms of your bargain- _if_ you give me my book back now."

That trademark smirk of his took hold of his expression as he replied, "An upfront demand requires payment."

Sigyn narrowed her eyes at him and asked, "_What_ payment?"

His smirk was in full swing as he answered, "The first of your owed kisses, obviously."

She stared and opened her mouth to reply, only to close it again in frustration. He always had a way of one-upping her, even when she thought she'd thought everything through.

"You agreed. Freely given whenever I should so choose," Loki continued.

Sigyn was really starting to dislike that smirk.

"If you say so," she replied, failing to hide the slightly sulky edge in her voice.

She frowned and stood before him awkwardly for a moment. This had to be the most uncomfortable she had ever been in her entire eighteen years on Asgard and Loki was making in no easier for her. He was just standing there, smirking, and waiting for her to go through with it. '_Freely given' _mybackside_... More like given under duress. _Was this just another way he could use to make fun of her? To laugh at her expense?

She didn't know; but she _did_ know that the longer she put it off, the more she made the situation worse for herself. _Just suck it up and do it or he won't give you the book back_, she ordered herself. Even though she felt extremely uncomfortable, Sigyn knew that she'd gotten herself into this; only following through with her bargain would get her out of it now.

Standing on her tiptoes, she leant towards the prince, finally accepting that she wasn't getting her book back until she gave in. But before she could do anything else, Loki's hand cupped the side of her cheek, tilting her head upward. Sigyn blinked wide eyes at him as his lips pressed against hers.

The kiss wasn't fierce or passionate or furious, but soft and chaste. And Sigyn couldn't help but fall into it as it continued. The kiss wasn't at all what she expected- though, thinking about it, she didn't know _what_ she had expected- just that this wasn't it.

Another thing that she hadn't expected was that he pulled back before she did. She'd thought that she'd have been wanting the kiss to end as soon as it began. Somehow though... she _didn't_. As his lips left hers, Sigyn could only stare at Loki, slightly dumbfounded.

_One down, four to go_, was the only coherent thought that she could muster. His fingers traced down her cheek slowly, so slowly that they tickled her skin as they trailed over it. She didn't notice until his flashing blue eyes flickered down to her hands, but, at some point, Loki had managed to slip her book into her hand whilst kissing her.

Blinking, she said, "Thank you."

He smirked at her meek and slightly disoriented reply, and answered, "Until next time, little Sigyn."

She quickly felt herself turning around and leaving the way she came. She barely even noticed as she passed the guards she'd spoken to on the way in and, in fact, she was half way back to her home before she even realised where she was. _What just happened?_ she wondered, trying to blink herself out of the daze she found herself in.

* * *

**Author's Note: Just spent the whole day reading Atonement for an exam next week, so as a reward for getting through it, I wrote this chapter. :) Hope you liked it and will let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	5. Relaxing Back Into The Normal

Sigyn wasn't quite sure how she'd made it home as quickly as she had. It seemed that her body was functioning without her brain while her thoughts ran in overdrive trying to figure out what had just happened with Loki. She frowned. _How did he manage to convince me into that? _she wondered. But, perhaps more importantly, her mind lingered over what had happened during that kiss.

Sigyn wasn't that experienced in the field of kissing; courting had never bothered her and kisses seemed to walk hand in hand with that, so the few she had shared had been fleeting. But the kiss between her and Loki... that was different to the others. She didn't know why. It just was.

It was almost as though she could still feel his fingers slipping down her cheek in that one gentle touch... Sigyn shook her head. _What am I doing?_ she thought. _It was just a kiss- a kiss in return for a book- a _bargain._ Nothing more._ As hard as she tried to convince herself that that was the truth, she couldn't seem to form a lie convincing enough.

It just felt a little odd to her; like there was something _off_ about the whole meeting- especially the bargain. Then again, she couldn't deny that there was something _off_ about _Loki... All these tricks must be getting to me_, Sigyn presumed, trying to brush away the feeling that there was something more going on than she knew.

She pushed open the door of her home, walking in and trying to leave her thoughts of Loki and his games on the doorstep. Sigyn wasn't that successful though, and she soon found herself retreating to the reasonably-sized living area of her home. She settled herself in one of the cushioned chairs that lined the room, creating a sort of frame around the hearth fireplace on one wall. It was a simple room for a simple house, but it was comfortable enough; Sigyn thought so anyway.

She read sporadically, stopping and starting again for the next few hours. For some reason, she couldn't stop mulling over the peculiar day that she'd had in her mind. In fact, it bothered her so greatly that she ended up having to put down her book and attempt to sleep off the effects that too many tricks and scares in one day had seemed to have had on her.

Sigyn finished the book the next morning, eventually managing to focus her concentration after a good night's sleep. But as soon as she'd finished it, she felt the need to return it to the Archive Keeper. It wouldn't do to let the man panic and stress any more over a book that she had managed to reclaim for him. Besides, the sooner that she returned it, the less she'd probably get shouted at.

So Sigyn made her way back to the library that she'd been banned from, however temporarily, with her book in her hand. It was early enough in the morning for her to pass no one on her way, which she appreciated; everyone that she usually met on her travels in the morning was usually far too happy and chirpy for Sigyn's liking.

But she knew that she'd have to talk to the Archive Keeper again- and he was even less of a morning person than he was a people person. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the library. The size of the hall made it hard for her to find the Archive Keeper, but she found him eventually- after she'd been able to see who _else_ was in the library. Thankfully, Loki was not among the people she saw though._ Good,_ she thought, not quite sure that she could deal with any more of his tricks right now.

The Archive Keeper actually saw Sigyn before she saw him, and already moved in to angry yelling before she could say anything, "'Ay, what did I tell you about coming in here? I said, 'not without the book', I said! So what are you doing here, girl?"

But Sigyn turned around and swiftly held the book out to him.

"I got it back," she said quickly.

The man approached her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He took the book from her and gave it a thorough examination before he would say another word to her.

And, even then, all he said was, "Fine... I'm watching you though."

Sigyn watched him walk away, clutching the book she'd given him as if it was a newborn child. It took a week and a half of near-constant bothering before she managed to convince the Archive Keeper that the stolen book was not her fault, and that she could actually be trusted to take care of his beloved books again.

Two more weeks passed in which she took books straight back to her home to read, nowhere else. She hadn't _wanted_ to bump into Loki, but after three and a half weeks of nothing happening, she was starting to think that bumping into him _wasn't_ going to happen. Maybe _he's forgotten_, Sigyn thought. But she knew he hadn't. He was the God of Mischief. He was probably just waiting for the opportune moment.

It wasn't until she was sat reading in the living area of her home, listening to her sisters, Dagný and Lifa, that anything out of the ordinary happened again. The twins were braiding each other's hair; the same long, blonde and curling hair that all three girls had inherited from the mother. Though their hair was similar, their features were more pinched than Sigyn's, and they had more of a sun-kissed, freckled look whereas Sigyn's skin was pale.

The two younger girls were going on and on about something that they were excited about whilst they braided, and Sigyn was trying to ignore them. But one of them said something that she couldn't tune out so easily, and she quickly placed her book, still open, flat in her lap.

"What did you just say?"

Her sisters looked up at her and Dagný answered, "I _said_, we'd better hurry up if we want to look nice at the palace."

Sigyn blinked.

"What do you mean, '_at the palace'_?"

"We've been _summoned_, silly," Lifa replied condescendingly.

But Sigyn didn't care about the tone of her sister's voice; she was more interested in the information she had.

"_We_?"

"The whole family," Dagný said, just before the two younger girls burst into a fit of shrill giggles.

"Maybe _Thor_ wants to marry one of us," Lifa suggested, virtually swooning at the thought.

Sigyn rolled her eyes as their conversation took a turn for the ridiculous and said nothing. They'd never even _seen_ Thor before, so the notion of his wanting to marry one of them was utterly preposterous. But she didn't know why they had been called to the palace- she just knew that it couldn't have been for the reason her sisters had thought though.

_Why_ would _we be called to the palace? _Her father was no lord, nor a soldier, so it made no sense for him to be called to the palace. And with the rest of the family in tow? That only boded ill in her opinion. Sigyn had an extremely bad feeling about this.

* * *

**Author's Note: I've decided that the twins are the most cumulatively irritating characters that I have ever written. Just saying. And if you don't get that already- just wait. :P**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! :) Reviews are much appreciated! :)**

**Kit xx**


	6. Finding Things Suspicious

Sigyn had initially tried to ignore what her twin sisters had said about being summoned to the palace, just because it was them that had said it. Also, the bad feeling she had was making her want to avoid thinking that they were telling the truth. But when her father came in and confirmed it, she had no choice but to concede.

Since the death of his wife some years ago, their father had awkwardly taken on raising three daughters. After years of it, Iwaldi still had not quite managed to learn how to properly deal with his daughters. That was a woman's considerations in his opinion. So when he asked Sigyn to dress her best, he basically ordered her to go, not quite understanding that he might simply have asked her; he need not have demanded.

Sigyn practically stamped up to her room and reluctantly opened her wardrobe. She didn't understand why they'd been summoned to the palace and the odd feeling she'd had stayed with her as she flicked through a number of dresses. And the odd feeling only seemed to link back to Loki.

She'd be damned if this was all Loki's doing and she'd had to change for nothing. Or worse, for _him_. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her dressed in her finest if this was all some trick. Sigyn scowled as she withdrew a pale blue dress.

She stripped and redressed herself quickly, smoothing the dress's long skirt out until into fell into place, dangling straight to the floor. She stared at herself in the reflection of the mirror attached to a wall in her room. Dipping slightly at the neck, it cinched at the waist, defining her slim figure well. With a sigh, she pulled her hair over one shoulder and tied it there by separating a thick strand and wrapping it around the rest.

_There_, she thought. This wasn't her best dress, but it suited her well enough; and she looked proper enough to stop her father from fussing. Sigyn wasn't that bothered about impressing anyone- not like her sisters were anyway- but in her opinion, she looked just fine for being summoned to the palace. She wasn't seeking anything else in going there.

But Sigyn didn't fail to notice her sisters snicker at how plainly she appeared to be dressed in comparison to them. It didn't concern her though; she'd rather be modest and simple than making a fool out of herself. But if her sisters wanted to make themselves into ridiculous and unparalleled flirts, then that was _their_ choice.

The journey to the palace wasn't a long one, but Sigyn was ready to scream by the time they arrived. Her sisters' constant and excited gabbing was driving her insane; particularly as she was almost certain that they were under the wrong impression as to why they were at the palace.

And she was almost certain that something as suspicious as she found this had something to do with Loki. _Or maybe I'm just being paranoid and Thor really does want to marry Dagn__ý__ or Lifa..._ Sigyn couldn't repress her laugh at that thought, which she quickly had to conceal behind a falsified cough.

The guards that Sigyn had encountered weeks ago stood at that same post, waiting for their arrival. She smiled at the friendlier of the two men as he informed them that he would be there escort into the palace, and was glad that the other guard would not have to join them. Then again, she was also glad not be the next person that asked for permission to enter the palace- for they were not about to meet a well-mannered man.

The nicer guard, or the guard that had been nice as far as Sigyn had known him, led them through the palace, only stopping when they reached a pair of large, golden doors. There he refused entry to all but Iwaldi, and went on to lead the girls to an adjoining room so that they might be comfortable whilst they waited.

_Why order us to come here only to leave us _here_?_ Sigyn thought with a frown. Something wasn't quite right; and Sigyn spent the entire time that she was left with her giggling sisters trying to determine exactly what it was. She couldn't do it though; no matter how hard she tried, all she could think was that it somehow linked back to Loki. _Which it probably doesn't_, she reasoned, chastising herself. _You'd think I was obsessed with him or something..._

Sigyn found herself mentally cursing the God of Mischief again. By leaving her alone for so long and then something like this happening, _of course_ she was going to think it was him, even if it wasn't. He was playing with her again, even if he didn't mean to. The way she had over-thought the situation already meant that he had won; she'd wasted far too much of her time thinking about Loki. Sigyn was about to put her head into her palms as that realisation hit her, but she didn't.

And she didn't, because in that moment, her father entered the room with the guard. Sigyn barely got a chance to see her father's bewildered expression before the twins pounced on him, still full of their irritating giddiness. Sigyn stood, slowly walking towards the others and trying to hear her father's voice over her sisters'.

"I'm quite sure that you won't believe what I've just been asked," her father said, running a hand through his greying beard.

But he refused to elaborate until they returned home. And that walk turned out to feel even longer than it the journey there had. Dagný and Lifa were pestering their father the entire way, eager to know what he knew, while Sigyn remained more quietly invested. She wanted to know to satisfy her curiosity- and the bad feeling that she'd had since they'd been summoned to the palace. It wasn't until the four had made it home, and the three girls were settled, seated at their wooden dinner table that their father said a word. Or rather, fifteen.

"I have been approached as one of you is to be courted by a prince."

An over-excited bubble seemed to burst beside Sigyn as Dagný and Lifa started talking immediately, their hopes set high.

"What did you say?"

"Yes, father, what did you say?" Lifa chirped in.

"I agreed, of course," he replied.

If Sigyn had been irritated by the first explosion of quick and excited chatter, then it only got worse when their father said that. She frowned, she had more pressing matters than annoying younger sisters right now. Something was troubling her, just as it had when they were in the palace. _It couldn't be... could it?_

An interruption to the jabber at her side came when Dagný paused, holding up a hand and asking, "Wait, father, you said a prince. _A_ prince... _Which _prince?"

At that, Iwaldi could only look at them for a moment, a flicker of doubt appearing in his eyes. At that, Sigyn knew what his reply would be.

"Loki," he said.

The twin girls shut up immediately, their earlier excitement and overly-cheerful manner vanishing almost instantly. They were scared of him it seemed, as a lot of Asgardians were.

"Which of us is it?" Lifa whispered.

But Sigyn knew the answer to that already; which is why she dropped her head to the table, banging it against the hard wood. She could feel her family staring at her, but she couldn't see it; a layer of her thick, blonde curls mercifully covered her face from view.

"_You_?"

_"Her_?"

_"Sigyn_?" she heard the pair exclaim simultaneously.

She didn't even look up when her father asked, "I take it you knew something about this then?"

"Not in so many words," Sigyn groaned into the table.

She took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. _Try explaining this one_... she thought to herself, wanting nothing more than to fade away rather than to explain something she wasn't even fully aware of in the first place.


	7. Venting Confusion

Sigyn had retreated to the safety of her own room to avoid the constant questions and annoying giggles from her sisters. They wouldn't leave her alone after her attempted explanation of why this was happening, so she'd locked herself away in her room until they calmed down a bit. _I could be here for some time_, she thought frustrated.

She sat down on the edge of her bed, scowling at the now closed door. It was only now that she was alone and able to think, that the implications of what her father had said finally started hitting her. Courting... _Courting? Loki wants to court me... Me?_

Sigyn was confused. In fact, she was more than confused. She'd only met Loki a couple of times- and she was pretty certain that she'd spent most of her time getting angry or yelling when they had met- and he wanted to court her? It made no sense. Although it did throw the bargain they'd made into a whole new light. _What if he thinks that in agreeing to giving those kisses, I was agreeing to this?_ Sigyn thought, blinking. _No, he couldn't. I _didn't_ agree to that_.

But if not that, she couldn't figure out what had led Loki to ask for her father's permission to court her. And she still didn't understand why he'd _want_ to court her in the first place; in her opinion, she was bad-tempered and better off alone. She wasn't a perfect match for _anyone_- least of all a God that thrived on playing with that bad temper.

She'd thought it was bad enough when Loki simply started exacting his mischief on her, and then there was their strange bargain... But _this_? Sigyn had had no idea that he was planning something like this. He hadn't given her any hints about it.

The more that Sigyn thought about it though, the more annoyed and confused she got. How dare he just summon her, her father and sisters to the palace and ask to court her without saying anything to her beforehand. She hadn't even _seen_ him for weeks.

_ Then again, he_ is _the God of Lying and Mischief- he could just be trying to make a fool of me. This could all just be another way to trick me- a way to laugh at my expense... _The situation was starting to make Sigyn very annoyed- more annoyed than any of her previous interactions with the God.

_Right, that's it_, she thought, pushing herself off of her bed. And before either of her sisters or even her father could waylay her, Sigyn was out of the house. She was determined to resolve this- to get an explanation.

No one would have interrupted her on her way to the palace, not if they had seen the irritation lighting her eyes. And as she came across the guards, she couldn't help but hope that they would just let her though without comment this time. Things never seemed to be going her way lately though.

"She's back again," the guard she'd developed somewhat of a dislike to grumbled.

"Twice in one day? That must be a new record," the other replied.

"Look, I'd rather you just let me through right now; I have a bone to pick with Loki," Sigyn said, the annoyance she felt heavy in the tone of her voice.

"So we heard he's courting you now?" the friendlier guard commented as she neared them.

Sigyn paused. _People_ _are_ hearing _this now? That's just _brilliant_._

"How did you hear that?"

He smiled and answered, "You pick up certain things working as a guard."

"_Right_. Well, I hope you have no objection to me passing because I am in a foul mood right now and I'd hate to waste what could be quality venting on you simply because you're here, when there is someone who utterly deserves to have it unleashed on them not far away."

"Go right ahead," he said, gesturing on to her with his hand.

The guard didn't, of course, mention that they would have let her in anyway. Since Loki had officially began courting Sigyn, he had commanded that she be allowed entry to the palace at any time. It seemed to the guards that he'd thought that through at least. _Or perhaps not_, thought the more talkative of the two, glad that he was not on the other end of her fury.

"Where is he?" Sigyn asked before passing them.

"The same place as last time probably."

It didn't take her long to find Loki sitting on the ledge of that same balcony in the same room she'd met him in last time. At first she thought him another illusion; but she dismissed that as he noticed her and stood, walking her way. No; this was the real thing, not an illusion.

"What in Valhalla is this, Loki?" she half-yelled at him.

He raised an eyebrow and stopped in front of her, just staring at her surprising boldness.

"So you're just- you've just decided that you're going to _court_ me now? What is this?"

Loki inclined his head, something of amusement playing on his lips as he calmly replied, "It's quite untraditional of you to come here, is it not? Should it not be me making the trips to see you?"

She scowled at him.

"Seriously? _That's _what you have to say right now?"

He did not reply, but merely studied her reaction carefully.

"I was fine with this when I was just agreeing to kisses- wait, you _are_ aware that I just agreed to those _five_ kisses, aren't you?"

"I am."

"So you do know? So this is- what _is_ this?" she asked, irritation and confusion coming out as one in her tone.

He paused for a moment, letting her calm herself slightly before asking, "Is your only objection to my courting you your belief that I have somehow tricked you into it?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again sharply, reconsidering her words. _God of Mischief and Lies, Sigyn. Remember who you're talking to_, she told herself. But her anger seemed to have diminished slightly after he had asked that _so_ innocently and she wasn't quite sure why.

"That's not what I said. All I meant was that-"

"Said and meant are two very different things, little Sigyn. I would know."

Her brows scrunched together.

"All I _meant_ was that this isn't because I agreed to that bargain, is it?"

"No; it is not."

"Then why?" she asked quietly.

"I have my reasons."

"You're really not going to tell me?"

"Maybe at some point; if you're patient," Loki replied, shrugging.

She half expected him to wink at her from the way he'd said that. And it only inflamed her anger again.

"You know what? Just... _urgh_," Sigyn finished lamely, unable to come up with anything that adequately described her frustration.

Scowling, she turned to leave.

"Goodbye, Loki," she shouted to the man now behind her as she began walking away.

But Loki was in front of her quickly. _Impossibly_ quickly. Sigyn jolted to a stop abruptly to avoid colliding with the Prince. She had no idea how he'd done that- and the fact that he could, unnerved her slightly.

"It's very rude to turn your back on someone mid-conversation," Loki said, amused condescension shaping his voice.

"It's very rude to refuse to answer someone when they ask you a question," she bit back quietly.

"Fair play, little Sigyn."

She folded her arms in annoyance, staring at Loki. She knew she was being childish, but she didn't care.

"I knew I picked you for a reason."

Sigyn blinked, some annoyance fading from her features. He had her blindsided with that, and she could only stand there staring as the God who was now courting her, bent his head and placed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Just as he moved to leave, he added in a whisper, "You look beautiful, by the way; even if your intention was not to."


	8. Screaming In Frustration

Sigyn was on her way out of the palace before she allowed herself to even think about what had just happened. How he had known that she had purposely refused to look her best, she didn't know; but that wasn't the part of the conversation her mind kept drifting to.

_ 'I knew I picked you for a reason.'_ What _reason_ was that? All she'd done back there was shout at him demand an explanation for his actions; why would anyone that that was directed at view it as a _good_ thing? Everyone else usually avoided Sigyn's temper, but it only seemed to amuse Loki, which, in itself, she found odd.

This situation was just becoming too ridiculously irritating for Sigyn's liking. Her mind was replaying things over and over again as she struggled to understand reasons and motives that Loki just wouldn't reveal to her. _Maybe the best option would be to just see what happens_, she decided. _Let him play his games with me, just don't over-think things. _Don't_ let him get to you,_ she ordered herself as she passed the guards she seemed to be seeing rather a lot lately.

"Have a good time?" the more pleasant guard asked.

Sigyn couldn't help but reply sarcastically, "The greatest."

But she paused just after she'd passed them, a question hanging on her lips. The friendly one looked at her in wait.

"What are your names, by the way?"

The ill-tempered guard answered first this time, "Why?"

"Because if this carries on then I can predict we're going to see a lot more of each other."

"I am Njal, and my grumpy companion here is Halvar," the friendlier guard replied with a broad smile.

"Thank you; nice to finally be introduced... I'll probably see you again the next time I need to yell at his highness."

With that, Sigyn walked away, hearing Njal's laughter echo behind her. She knew that it was nearing nightfall when she left the palace, and by the time that she arrived home, dark was setting in and the moon was rising.

As soon as she walked through the door home, her sisters were on her in an instant, asking her where she had disappeared off to, though they must have been able to guess. Amidst their questions, she tried to dismiss them and told them to be quiet, but that only intrigued their adolescent minds further it seemed.

"Oooo, sounds like _someone's_ been out with a certain _prince_," Lifa teased.

"I was not _out_ with him."

"But you were with him," Dagný put in.

"Well I was _technically_ with him-"

"I knew it!"

"Told you so, didn't I?"

"But I only went to the palace to yell at him."

The twins froze, staring at the older sister in mild shock.

"You _yelled_ at him?"

"You yelled at the _prince_?"

Sigyn tried to answer, but her sisters continued, stopping her from saying a word.

"_Why_ would you do that?"

"Is she mad?"

_ "Are_ you mad?"

"Will you two just hold your tongues for a second?" Sigyn shouted, simply to break through the barrier of their voices.

"Oooo, sounds like it's not just Loki that's getting the moody side of her today," Dagný giggled.

But Sigyn knew how to deal with her sisters. She'd spent long enough living with them to understand the proper way to deal with them when they behaved like this. Her best bet was to deprive them of what they wanted most, and, in this case, it was information that _she_ had.

Rolling her eyes, Sigyn replied, "Right. That's it. You two just lost any claim you had to an answer. It's your own fault."

And she marched upstairs, attempting to leave the younger girls behind. They followed behind her though, a childish effort at getting her to change her mind. She paused in her doorway, her fingers playing on the edge of the wooden door.

"Oh, but Sigyn!" they started to plead, but she interrupted them.

"No. And you two had better learn to ask a question and then be silent whilst you wait for a reply- otherwise you'll never get one."

And, with that, Sigyn slammed the door between them and locked herself into her room. _That'll teach them_, she thought, but in her heart she knew that it would do nothing of the sort. They would just carry on as they always did, content to just find another way to get information.

Sigyn had _intended_ to throw herself onto her bed in frustration after that. She had also _intended_ to scream into a pillow just to let out her irritation. Why were her sisters so frustrating? Why was _Loki_ so frustrating? She turned from the door when she heard her sisters move off, only to be confronted with something she had never expected to see in her room. An elephant in the room, as the Midgardian saying went.

She couldn't stop the scream that came out of her by instinct, just as she couldn't stop herself from falling abruptly back against her door. She slid to the floor, her back pressed against the hard wood of the locked door. In the semi-darkness, she could only see what the moon's light illuminated of the Trickster God. But she could see that half of his face disappeared into shadows, the other half shining with triumph and amusement.

"What did that door ever do to you?" he asked.

Sigyn was still trying to control her breathing, which had become heavy because of the shock he'd given her. She watched as he waved a hand and flames appeared, illuminating the candles on her bedside table to give them better light. She stared at him for a long moment.

"I hate you," she said between breaths.

He crouched in front of her, leaning his elbows on his knees as he looked at her. She didn't know if she was imagining it or not, but she could have sworn she'd seen the faintest glint of an apology in his eyes. Or maybe it was pain... _Or maybe just the darkness._

"Hate is a strong word, little Sigyn."

He took hold of her hand in his and kissed her knuckles softly. He didn't drop her hand afterward, as she'd thought he might though. She just looked at him unblinkingly for what felt like the longest time. This could _not_ continue. And when her breathing was finally back to normal, she tried to tell that to him.

"I know that you're the God of Mischief and you enjoy your tricks-"

_ "Enjoy_ might be too mild a statement," he put in.

"Well yes, _perhaps_- but my point is, could you _not_ keep scaring me like this? One of these days I'm going to get hurt."

But as soon as she'd said that, Sigyn watched as his amused expression became suddenly serious.

"Nothing I do will ever cause you physical damage. Know that."

She stared at him blankly. He actually seemed to be serious for once... Who knew that he could be? The moment was gone soon enough though, when his expression quickly became that smirk that she was starting to recognise so well.

"I suppose I could stop scaring you... but I'd miss that shocked expression on your face too much. The one where your mouth forms that surprised little 'O' shape... And I'd miss that moment of confusion that always follows."

She stared at him, bemused. She didn't even realise that she did that, let alone that he noticed that she did.

"Yes, that one," he grinned.

It took Sigyn a minute to collect her thoughts after that, but when she did, she realised something and couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. Why was he in her room?

"_Why_ are you in my room?" she asked immediately, the question coming off quite bluntly.

Loki tilted his head to the side as he replied, "After you left I realised I forgot something."

"You _forgot_ something. What's that then?"

"The second of our agreed kisses."

"Second?" Sigyn blinked.

He smirked.

"You didn't think those that I gave were part of the five of our bargain, did you?"

She frowned. She _had_ wondered about that briefly.

"I didn't ask and you didn't give."

"But..." Sigyn stopped herself before she dug a hole that she couldn't get out of.

He was right, she knew. _Loki_ giving kisses hadn't been any part of their bargain- only his asking for them had been.

"So... So you came to my home, to my _bedroom_... for a kiss?" she asked uncertainly.

The God of Mischief and Lies nodded once.

"Just... all that way; _just_ for a kiss?"

"Nothing more, nothing less," he answered.

She narrowed her eyes at him, not sure whether to believe him or not. Then she remembered what she'd told herself earlier; _Don't over-think it._

"I don't understand you," Sigyn admitted finally.

"I never mentioned anything about you having to understand me," Loki replied quietly.

At that, she leant forward, still sat on the floor, and kissed him. Just as last time, the kiss was not fierce, but almost _comfortable_, and Sigyn couldn't help but be at ease as she kissed Loki. This time, she allowed her eyes to close as she got carried away with the terms of their bargain.

She was acutely aware of Loki's thumb stroking over the back of the hand he still held, creating a soft and rhythmic circle that she almost wouldn't have noticed. And again, it was Loki that pulled away first. Though, this time, Sigyn realised that she hadn't quite wanted him to.

"I'd say that was worth the journey, wouldn't you?" he murmured, his face still only inches from hers.

Sigyn said nothing in reply. She couldn't think what to say. But just as she opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, Loki was gone. She blinked, staring at the vacant space where he had been crouched just seconds ago. She didn't know how he did that, but she didn't like it.

_What have I gotten myself into_? she wondered as she looked blankly around at her now-empty room.


	9. Inviting Surprise

Two days passed and Sigyn heard nothing of the Asgardian prince that had chosen to court her. She heard nothing- saw nothing- but had still taken to keeping one of the family's hounds in her room at night. She didn't know if she quite trusted what the prince had said. '_Nothing I do will ever cause you physical damage.'_

She didn't know if she trusted him enough. The hound was just acting as an added precaution in case Loki got any ideas about being able to appear in her room at any time he wanted. He _was_ the God of Mischief, after all. She wouldn't put it passed him.

That morning, Sigyn dressed in a thin orange dress that began off her shoulders and hung down her body like a loose sheet of fabric. Looking into her mirror, she combed her fingers through her hair few times before dismissing her appearance. She wasn't planning to leave the house that morning, so it didn't really make a difference to _her_ what she looked like.

Sigyn left her room to join her family for breakfast, and when she got to the dining table, she discovered that the twins were already eating. It wasn't long until their father entered the room either, though he looked to have been up for some time. What intrigued Sigyn was that he was hold something in his hand.

"Someone's getting married," Iwaldi said, holding up the thin slip of card in his hand.

_An invitation, then_, Sigyn decided. Before their father could say any more though, Dagný had swiftly lifted the invitation out of her father's grip.

"When?"

"Tonight, apparently."

"A last minute invitation then; who is it?" Lifa asked impatiently.

Dagný shrugged, as she passed the invitation on to her sister, "No one we know."

"So why are we invited?" Lifa asked, scanning the card.

"Three guesses," Dagný replied, staring straight at their older sister.

Sigyn blinked. Like it or not, she knew that Dagný had a point. With an invitation arriving at their house, for their whole family to attend the union of two people they did not know, her thoughts could only lead her to one place.

The Allfather performed all marriages, which meant that the wedding would take place at the palace. Where _Loki_ was. He and Thor always had to attend celebrations, it was their duty, and she knew it; which meant that he was definitely going to be there. Which meant that the family had only been invited because of her.

Before she could say anything though, Dagný and Lifa had begun to get extremely excited at the prospect of the people they'd meet there. _How did I know that would be where their minds would go?_The two girls quickly left the table to run off and find the 'perfect' dresses. Sigyn's father lingered in the room however, looking curiously at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know... I... don't know if I feel comfortable attending this celebration..."

He didn't question her, but merely said, "Let me know what you decide."

Then he too departed the room, leaving Sigyn alone. She was conflicted; and her doubts about going were chiefly to do with Loki. The only effort he'd made since announcing his attentions to court her was to appear in her room and take a kiss from her. And then this? Surely, shouldn't they be trying to get to know one another?

Sigyn still thought that this was odd. What was it that they were really doing if not getting to know each other? _Maybe I _have_ to go. Maybe I have to find out what is happening here; just so that I don't have to over-think things._ It seemed like a good solution, and she had more of a chance of finding out at the wedding than she did in her house.

She went to the living area, where she knew she would find her father, to tell him that she had decided to attend the wedding, when she saw the _last_ thing she had expected. Sat awkwardly in the chair that she usually sat in, was Loki, speaking quietly to her father. Sigyn stared at him, eyes wide in astonishment.

His eyes found her quickly, focussing on her intently though he continued to converse with her father. She suddenly felt a little self-conscious under his gaze. She wished now that she'd given more than a cursory glance at her appearance in the mirror before dismissing it with, _I'm only going downstairs; the only people who will see me will be father and the twins. _She definitely regretted that now; though when she caught herself thinking that, she couldn't quite figure out why.

Sigyn heard father finish saying something that she hadn't quite been paying attention to, before he said, "I will give you two a moment."

As he left, Sigyn rolled her eyes. Her father clearly had no idea about anything. Unless he was completely blindsided by the fact that Loki was a prince. Yes_, that _made sense, she knew as she watched her father bow to Loki before he left the room.

"Is this preferable to my surprising you- or 'scaring you' rather, as you put it?" Loki said.

"Much," she said, approaching him by awkwardly walking into almost the centre of the room.

"Yet, as you can see, far less fun," he put in.

"For _you_."

"Indeed," he smirked. "Your father was telling me that you had yet to decide whether or not to attend the celebration tonight."

"My father needs to keep his mouth shut," she said before she could stop herself.

A flicker of Loki's smile appeared and vanished again in a moment's glimpse.

"Have you decided?" he asked.

With the way he was looking at her, Sigyn really couldn't see herself saying no, even if she wanted to. That was when she realised that he could probably charm anyone into anything if he tried. She had to be careful with that, she now understood.

"I... I have decided that, I _am_ going," she answered slowly.

His eyes seemed to smile, a little light shining in them at the news.

"I am glad."

"You are?" she asked, surprised.

He raised a brow at her.

"Should I be insulted that you think I should not be?"

She blinked.

"I- I- no, I didn't mean that. I just... I don't know. You confuse me," Sigyn said, admitting once more what had been bothering her greatly.

Loki tilted his head slightly and stood, walking towards where she was standing in the centre of the room.

"I confuse many people."

"So I've heard. Your reputation does proceed, my prince," she answered, a small smile playing on her lips.

He smirked and stopped in front of her. To her surprise though, he changed the subject abruptly.

"You know, I think you should wear green tonight. Or black. Whichever you prefer."

Sigyn blinked. _What an odd thing to say._

"And what if I don't want to wear your choice of colour?"

He grinned at her and simply replied, "Oh I think you'll come around to my point of view."

Loki said no more, but merely kissed her hand politely. He left then, walking briskly out of the doorway after her father, before she could say anything else.


	10. Meeting The Other Brother

It wasn't until Sigyn went to her wardrobe to dress later that day that she understood exactly what Loki had meant when he'd said that she'd come around to his point of view. She opened her wardrobe and was confronted with the fact that all of the clothes inside it had become a myriad of green and black.

She scowled. Sigyn didn't know how or when, but the God of Mischief had managed to change all of her clothes just to make sure that she wore the colours he had chosen for her. _His_ colours. She muttered a curse at Loki under her breath, hoping that he somehow could know how annoyed she was.

_He just_ had_ to meddle..._ she thought with a sigh, resigning herself to his choice. _Guess I'm wearing green or black then..._ Sigyn had flicked through every dress in her wardrobe, before finding one that was suitable. The one that she had originally thought to wear didn't suit the green colour that it had been turned to. So she picked a different dress, a better one.

Sleeveless and green in the majority, a black ribbon held the front together like a corset, while a black belt fell across her hips at the point where the ribbon stopped. The dress had originally been red and gold. It wasn't now; but in a strange way, Sigyn thought it almost looked better this way.

She put the dress on and stared at herself in the mirror. Sigyn found that it actually suited her rather well, much to her surprise. Then she turned to her hair; what to do with it? _Why do I care so much?_ she wondered, as she parted her long curls and tied them into two loose bunches that fell across the area between her shoulders and breasts. _I actually look... good_, she thought, realising that she never usually cared for her appearance enough to think that.

She should have been expecting something as soon as she went downstairs, for that was exactly what she was met with when her sisters saw her. Even her father seemed slightly confused by her choice of attire.

"You're wearing his _colours_ now?" Lifa giggled, her mouth hanging open mockingly.

"Don't _even_ get me started," Sigyn fumed, hoping that her threatening temper would silence the two girls before they could even begin.

For once, it worked and they left their house in silence. The family bore witness to the wedding, watching the couple that they didn't know marry as they had watched others a few times previously.

It was a perfectly nice wedding, Sigyn thought, with the exception of a whisper from Dagný in her ear of, "Just think Sigyn, that could be you and your prince soon enough."

Sigyn could have strangled the girl, but she kept calm and said nothing, choosing to focus on proceedings rather than her sister's teasing. At the celebration afterwards, dancing began, and her sisters eventually moved off. Sigyn stayed alone however, her eyes roaming over the dancing, joyous figures that seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. She was searching out Loki, the only person that she could _not_ see.

She was startled out of her thoughts by the approach of a different God however. She blinked and stared for a second before bowing her head to the older Prince of Asgard; Loki's brother. Thor. As she observed the expected formality, she did not see it coming when Thor wrapped his arms around her in a bear-like hug. Sigyn went still, her eyes wide as he pulled back from her, grinning.

"My lady Sigyn, correct?" he said, his voice overly loud.

She blinked and eventually answered, "Yes."

The God laughed at her bemused and quiet reply, patting her on the arm in a friendly way. It felt to her like being hit by a brick. _Make that ten_, she thought as his hand came down playfully on her arm again.

"Forgive my forwardness, I am merely pleased to meet the woman my brother has chosen to court- and that you do in fact _exist_, of course," he added.

She narrowed her eyes slightly as she asked, "Why would I not exist?"

At that, Thor chuckled a little, "It's _Loki_. My brother has more than a slight tendency to lie."

"Right... Yes... That I _do_ know," she said, smiling a little awkwardly.

"Since he refused to introduce us, and seems to have... disappeared, I thought it appropriate to make your acquaintance, my lady."

"How did you know it was me?"

"You happen to be the only woman in the room to dressed exactly in my brother's colours. I though it quite obvious, my lady."

Sigyn nodded, still smiling slightly as she said, "Please, if you would, stop calling me 'my lady'; I'm _no_ lady."

"You will be if you keep it up with my brother," Thor winked.

Clearly, Thor was going for friendly. All that Sigyn was feeling was uncomfortable, however. It just wasn't in her mind to think about things like that- they just made her feel ill at ease.

"So are you going to tell me how he convinced _you_ into this? My brother has certainly been very quiet about the particulars."

Sigyn blinked. What did he mean by putting the emphasis on '_you'_? Did he not think she was good enough for his brother or something? No, that wouldn't make sense when put alongside his earlier comments.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean by that?"

Thor raised his eyebrows at her as if the answer was obvious. Obvious to everyone but Sigyn apparently.

"Well, I want to know how my brother, the God of Mischief and Lies, managed to convince a beautiful maiden such as yourself to be around him for more than a few minutes."

Sigyn blinked. That was a little harsh, wasn't it? _Loki may be annoying, but why would that change things..._ she wondered, frowning slightly.

"He stole my book, I went to get it back, and then... here we are" she replied eventually.

"That's it?" Thor asked, almost as if he was a little disappointed that there was no great bout of trickery on his brother's part.

"Yes," she answered. "Though he has taken to making me jump quite a lot. He seems to find it funny."

Thor grinned.

"Ah yes, how _well_ I remember those tricks; it seems like only yesterday- in fact, it _was _only yesterday that he did the same to me..."

She let out a small laugh and enquired, "Do you ever get used to it?"

"Not as of yet," he replied, still grinning. "Still, it seems like a rather strange way to court someone... Then again, Loki has a talent for making things strange."

_Not the traditional type of courting... Right_. It was only then, as she spoke to Thor, that she realised something. _Is scaring me half to death his idea of _flirting_? Oh _Gods_. What have I let myself in for? _But before Thor could say anything more Sigyn jumped. And she jumped because arm wound around her back, a hand on her elbow pulling her close to the body at her side. She turned her head to see that it was Loki's arm around her as Thor let out a booming laugh.

"Brother!" Thor started when his laughter subsided. "We were just talking about you."

Loki simply raised a brow at his brother's comment, his lips pressing tightly together. But Sigyn felt how his grip on her elbow tightened. It was almost as if he was being possessive, she thought. But that couldn't be right, could it? She was probably just over-thinking things again.

She stared at the brothers, finding it odd to place them side by side like that. The differences between them were astonishing. The two looked nothing alike, but both were immensely regal. She didn't have time to consider them further before Loki spoke though.

"As charming as you may find yourself, Thor, I must steal Sigyn here away from you."

"Go ahead," the older brother said, gesturing to the two of them with an outstretched hand.

With a wink, he added, "I hear you have quite the talent for stealing things."

Sigyn had no choice in the matter, as Loki quickly whisked her away from Thor after one last, almost harsh, glare at him. She found herself momentarily stunned when he brought her over to the dance floor and pulled her into the throngs of dancing people.

She hadn't thought that Loki would be a dancer, so it surprised her when he manoeuvred her into the slow-paced dance that was currently being played. _What's going on?_ she thought, blinking as he whirled her into a dance.


	11. Dancing And Other Things

Loki's hand lay on the small of her back whilst the other took a hold of hers. Sigyn's hand fell upon his shoulder as they began the dance she had not expected. She stared at him, supposing that this was something considered normal amongst a courting couple. A dance. But there was something strange about Loki's demeanour that made Sigyn wary; an almost terseness that she had felt as soon as he'd come across her speaking his brother.

"Were you having an interesting conversation with my brother?" he asked, something of an edge to his voice.

"I was; he seems pleasant," Sigyn replied with a polite smile.

"He is," Loki replied tersely. "Many people think so. Many people love him."

To that, she said nothing. She didn't understand where this was supposed to be going.

"And you smile for him."

Sigyn frowned and countered, "Not _for _him."

"But you smiled anyway," he said, that same strange edge in his tone.

"Loki, what are you trying to say? I smiled _in a conversation_. It's a normal thing to do."

"I'm _trying_ to say nothing at all. Merely making an observation."

Her frown deepened. Did he think that she liked Thor? In the midst of the dance, Sigyn noticed women fawning over the Thunder God as he stood at the side of the dance floor. _Maybe Loki's jealous, _she thought. _Even though he has nothing to be jealous of. No... that can't be right; can it? _So she decided to test her theory.

"I'm afraid I couldn't spend too much time with him though; he's far too loud. I'm not quite sure how you manage to live with him- I think I'd have a migraine within half an hour."

She watched as the corner of his lips twitched upward, and he replied, "Earplugs."

She genuinely laughed at that. Whether a lie or not, it was still funny, and whether by her laughter or his joke, the heavy mood between them seemed to lighten somewhat. And Sigyn couldn't help but think that she might have been right about Loki being wary of his brother's popularity. Perhaps he _was_ jealous.

The two continued the dance for some time, the music eventually changing to a quicker pace, before Loki said, "This was just the dress I'd hoped you'd wear."

Blinking, Sigyn suspiciously asked, "Do I want to know how you know what dresses I have?"

"Probably not," he smirked.

She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes. She _did_ want to know, but there were other, more pressing issues bothering her. She could let that go for the sake of information she wanted more. Loki spun her into a twirl, pulling her back to him with a smile.

Sigyn couldn't resist asking him, "Are you going to tell me why you're courting me yet?"

"Is that being patient?" he asked.

"I'm not very good with patient," she pouted.

He leant in to her as if he was about to say something intimate.

"I can tell," is all that he whispered into her ear.

Sigyn leant her head back from him and burst out laughing, still mid-dance. It was only then, as she looked around, that she realised that they were attracting quite a bit of attention.

"People are staring at us," she said with a slight frown creasing her brows.

"And so they should."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you didn't look at yourself before you came here tonight."

She stared at him, a confused expression forming her facial features.

"You are the most stunning creature in the room, bar none."

Sigyn didn't take her eyes away from Loki. _Was that... a _compliment_? From the God of Lying? _She knew that lies dripped too easily from his silver tongue, and she couldn't quite convince herself to believe him in this instance. Loki noticed her doubt however- he could read it in her expression.

"Come, come now little Sigyn, don't tell me that my reputation has proceeded me _that_ much."

She looked down, embarrassed at the fact that he could read that so easily in her expression. She hadn't meant to make it so obvious.

"I just don't take compliments that well," she said, trying to cover for her mistake.

Loki sucked in an amused breath of air and replied, "_Lying_ to the God of Lies, is that really your best move?"

She pursed her lips but said nothing. He had called her bluff and she couldn't counter it. Perhaps she should have been more careful to control what emotions showed on her face in front of him.

After a while, Sigyn said, "People are still staring."

He tilted his head to the side and smiled slightly, "Well then, let us give them something more to stare at."

"I'm sorry?" she asked confused.

"Your third kiss, if you please."

She stared at him blankly, pausing them in their dance. They stood still now, in the middle of the dance floor, as people continued around them.

"Here?"

"Here," he nodded.

"But... but I can't... My family- _your_ family, they're-"

"Are you embarrassed, little Sigyn?" he asked soothingly.

She frowned. She could feel her cheeks going red at the thought of so publicly kissing the God of Mischief. There were just so many people looking at them...

"I- I don't know, I just..." she trailed off.

But in the back of her mind, Sigyn knew that Loki wasn't about to let this go. She'd agreed to the bargain; and, since he'd upheld his part of it, she had to do the same. Even if the thought of doing so had her momentarily frozen under the alert gazes of those she knew were paying attention to them. Him. Her. Her because she was with him.

But Sigyn stopped looking at them and stared at him instead, watching the amused glint in Loki's eyes. That was enough. Sigyn leant closer to the God, closing the already intimate gap between them and sealing her lips against his. The hand on her back pressed her to him and she couldn't even think about the hundreds of eyes set on them. Especially when Loki moved the hand holding hers up to cup her face and she forgot what room she was in altogether. She didn't understand how he had the power to do that.

It turned out though, that the power he had to make her forget she was in a room full of people did not apply to other people forgetting that the she and Loki had been in the room- as Sigyn found out when she returned home with her family

"I think it's pretty clear that he staked his claim very well," her father said, running a hand through his hair in almost disbelief.

"What do you mean?"

"Now every nobleman in Asgard knows his intentions towards you."

"It- it''s not like that- it's just-"

But her father interrupted her before she could finish with, "I don't want to know, Sigyn."

"But-"

"No. That is just _not_ information that a father needs to hear."

And then, of course, came her sisters. With what she'd just heard from her father, Sigyn was _not_ looking forward to what they would have to say.

"I am _not_ in the mood right now."

"But you _were_ in the mood at the feast."

The singsong taunt came from Lifa, who received a harsh glance in reply from her older sister.

"So are you going to tell us the details or do we have to nag you until you do anyway?" Dagný asked.

"Yes, don't make us have to nag you."

Sigyn rubbed her temples with two fingers, trying to decide whether it would be best to just do as they said and reply or just smack them around their heads and leave the room. In the end, she settled on answering them with a small truth; something that they wouldn't latch hold of and wave in front of her face for days, perhaps months even.

"What details can I give you two when _I_ don't even know why he's courting me?" she replied eventually.

"Made it pretty obvious back there, I think."

"You'd have to be blind not to see _that_."

Apparently, something that she'd thought would be harmless had set the twins off. She sighed. At least they would be satisfied gossiping over that for a while. It did bother Sigyn though, what they'd said. _Was_ the reason Loki was courting her as obvious as they seemed to think? If it was then that meant that what was between her and Loki was purely aesthetically based; and it wasn't... was it? Was that the reason that Loki was courting her?

Sigyn shook her head and tried not to think about that. It was just a silly idea that the twins had put into her mind, nothing more. Except it _wasn't_ just a silly idea. And it bothered her to no end; particularly when she lay down to sleep that night. She was thinking herself into an agitated frustration.

She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if this went further than courting. She'd end up marrying him. _Loki_. What it would be like to marry him, she didn't know, but thinking about the way he looked at her, the way he kissed her... _Would it be such a bad thing?_ she wondered.

Conversely, she knew the downsides of such a thing. _The man is so frustrating!_ Sigyn thought, staring at her ceiling in the dark. And what if the twins were right? What if he was only courting her because she looked a certain way, or he wanted a certain... _something_? She knew that she couldn't agree to marry someone like that; she'd never be happy.

Sigyn didn't like that fact that she just didn't know enough about Loki for how serious this seemed to be getting. She needed to know exactly why he was doing this before she let her thoughts run away with her. Before she let herself think about _anything_ in the future... And she knew exactly where she'd find that explanation.

* * *

**Author's Note: This chapter and the last one were originally the same one, so I thought, since I separated them, I'd update twice in one day. :)**

**Hope you're all enjoying the fic and will let me know what you think! I really appreciate all the feedback I've been getting. :)**

**Kit xx**


	12. Questioning His Motives

After a restless night of half-sleep and agitated dreaming, Sigyn had no choice but to seek out the answer she was in desperate need of. As soon as morning came, and Sigyn heard movement about her own home, she dressed and headed downstairs. She said a brief word to her father before she disappeared out of the door. And soon she was walking passed the guards that she now knew to be called Njal and Halvar.

"Here she is again," Halvar grumbled.

"Yes, it's nice to see you too, Halvar," she answered in a mildly sarcastic way.

"You're early today," Njal chipped in.

"I guess."

"You look angry, what has the prince done this time?"

Sigyn blinked and, dismissing her thoughts for a moment, replied "Oh nothing much, the _usual_."

That there was a usual level of annoying her now baffled Sigyn. She was calling the tricks Loki played _normal_ now. _Does that mean I'm accepting it as a normal routine?_ she wondered. Somehow, that thought didn't really comfort her though.

"Try not to yell at him too much, it's still early," Njal joked. "Some poor soul might still be trying to sleep."

"No promises. But you two aren't asleep though; in fact, do you _ever_ leave here?"

Njal laughed while Halvar appeared less than amused.

"Why do you think Halvar here is so grouchy all the time?"

To that, Halvar looked even less impressed. Sigyn just chuckled as she was began to walk away, passed the guards.

"He won't be in the hall."

She paused at Njal's words and asked, "Where _will_ he be then?"

"In the gardens," Halvar said gruffly.

Sigyn sighed, the gardens were a _big_ place. Trying to find Loki in them with no idea of a starting point was going to be more difficult than getting him not to startle her every time he decided to show up.

"Any idea about where in the gardens?" she asked.

"By the apple trees."

_How do they always seem to know where he is? _Sigyn wondered_. Maybe he told them before. Maybe he knew I'd be storming in all the time- like I _do_, admittedly, keep doing... Hm_, she thought, trying to end that train of thought before she really got into it. _Thinking_ wasn't going to get her the answers she craved- as she had well discovered last night.

"Thank you," Sigyn replied before disappearing off to find Loki.

The light mood that that conversation had given her faded quickly as the thoughts that had stopped her sleeping properly, and that she couldn't seem to shake off, returned. She had to find him soon. And, in fact, it did not take her all that long to find the Prince she sought, for she asked a gardener she came across for directions. Sigyn found him seated on a bench made of woven twigs and vines, the like of which she'd never seen before.

"Visiting again?"

He asked the question without even looking up. It was as if, as she'd thought, he knew he was coming. Standing, Loki met her eyes, striding slowly to meet her.

"Not exactly a visit-" she started as he stopped in front of her.

"Apple?" Loki interrupted, before she could finish.

His hand stretched out to her, and in it he held out a ripe, red apple. She just frowned slightly at the interruption.

"No, thank you-"

"Pity; they're good."

"I'm sure they are-"

"You know, the Midgardians have a legend that dubs these the forbidden fruit. Silly really..." he added quietly.

He waved a hand and the apple vanished into the tiniest waves of smoke. Sigyn didn't have time to consider what that was supposed to mean as she took the opportunity to demand a clarification for what was going on.

"Look, Loki, I need an explanation for all this."

"An explanation for trying to give you an apple? Well, firstly they're extremely healthy-"

"Not what I meant," Sigyn said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't _need _an explanation," Loki answered, almost sighing as he did.

"Actually I _do_. Really, please, Loki. I'm losing sleep, I _need_ an explanation."

"You're losing sleep over me? Why little Sigyn, I'm flattered."

She gave him a levelling look and replied, "_Loki_."

"Why, I wonder, is this so important to you?"

Sigyn faltered slightly at that, her teeth teasing the inside of her cheek as she thought about her response.

"It just... _is_," she replied lamely.

"You know I'll find out," he started, clearly intrigued at what she refused to tell him. "It'll be far easier if you just tell me now."

"It's because... because I don't _know_ you, Loki."

She watched as his eyes became harder, almost as if an emotion she had not before seen in him was causing trouble.

"You have to understand that the only times we've really met, all you've done is make me jump and make me kiss you. I don't understand why it is you're courting me. I truly don't."

He stared at her.

"It would seem that I am more observant than you then."

She blinked. What did he mean by that?

"For years I have watched you go in and out of the library, regardless of what other people have said or wanted. You kept coming back, and for that I had to admire you persistence. What was I doing the first few times that I spoke to you? Scaring you, you called it. No. I was testing you."

"_Testing_ me?" she asked, taking a few steps back from him.

"Let me finish, Sigyn. That was my way of understanding you better. Here is something that _you_ must understand. I am known as the Trickster God for good reason, I cannot have a wife that cannot cope with my ways, no matter how I admire her persistence."

She looked to the floor for a moment, and then back at him.

"So... so all of that was just... you _testing_ me to see if I could '_cope'_," she said the last word with a certain venom.

"You did far better than most when it comes my games."

"So that's why you're courting me then... because I can cope..." she said, accusingly.

But Loki had closed the gap she'd created in a second. Sigyn felt his index finger under her chin, lifting it so that she met his eyes. It was difficult though, he was so tall in comparison to her.

"It's not the _only_ reason," he said quietly, eyes flashing.

Sigyn closed her eyes. She knew the question she had to ask or she'd regret it; and she couldn't look at him as she asked it.

"How do I know that I can believe you?"

When she opened them again to witness his reaction, she could only see hurt in his eyes. It almost appeared genuine too. _Maybe it is_...

"I see you can cope, but perhaps my tests should have include your ability to trust," Loki replied, his voice becoming hard.

He stepped back from her quickly and turned away from her. All Sigyn could do was stare and frown at the back of the Prince who now seemed to be refusing to look at her.

"Wait, you don't understand, Loki. I'm not saying that because you're the God of Lying and Mischief, I'm saying it because... because I don't know. The only reason I asked is because I don't understand. How can you expect me to trust you if I still don't _know_ you?"

"Then _get_ to know me," she heard him say.

"How is it _ever_ that simple?"

He frowned at her a moment, choosing then to turn back and look at her. Loki noticed the odd tone shaping her last question. There was more to this than the explanation she had given.

"What other objection do you have to my courting you?"

Sigyn stared at him for a long time before asking, "How did you know th-"

"I just know," he replied, waiting then for her answer.

She frowned and looked at the ground as she spoke. She didn't want to look at him again while she admitted the other reason that she wondered why he was courting her.

"You're a _prince_... and a _God_, and I'm just... me. 'Little Sigyn' that reads when she shouldn't and has a bit of a temper problem. 'Little Sigyn' that doesn't fawn over men like her sisters and prefers to be alone rather than in a crowd. Why would you want me?"

Loki blinked. It was as if her words had stunned him momentarily, before a small smile appeared, shaping his lips.

"That is your issue?

She looked up to see him wearing that surprised and even amused expression.

"_That's_ why you want to know why I'm courting you so badly?"

She nodded once, not comprehending the look he was giving her.

"All those things you used to negatively describe yourself are what have endeared you to me."

She stared at him, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"They _what_?"

"You have no idea how similar we are," he said, moving closer to her and shortening the distance he'd put between them.

Sigyn didn't move as his hand lifted to shift a blonde curl and tuck it behind her ear. It was a gentle gesture, made more so by the way the pain that was before in his eyes had vanished to be replaced by an amused and soft glint.

"You'll find out though, little Sigyn. You'll find out."


	13. Getting To Know Him

When Sigyn woke the next morning, she had not expected anything special of the day. She and Loki had agreed that they would become better acquainted with each other for her sake; he _already_ seemed to know so much about her. But she hadn't expected Loki to take that proposal so literally that, when she went downstairs to read, she found him sitting in her chair again, looking as awkward as he had the last time he'd been there.

She blinked at him and a smile crossed his face as she said, "Loki, I didn't expect-"

"I know," he interrupted quickly. "One thing you should know about me is that I don't tend to do things that are expected."

Sigyn stared. _He's taking this seriously, _she thought, a little confused. She hadn't expected him to be so forward in response to her request that she know him better. Then again, hadn't he just told her that he didn't do things that were expected of him?

"I thought we ought to get started on getting to know each other, as you wished," he added with a sideways smile.

She tilted her head to the side and stared at him.

"Since it's so important to you, that is."

Sigyn couldn't help but smile a little at that. He'd made his point; this was definitely mostly for her benefit rather than his. Loki stood from the chair she always claimed as her own and went to stand in front of her.

"So how am I supposed to start getting to know you?" she asked. "I get the feeling you're not the type to answer a lot of questions."

"No; I am not."

"So what then?"

"It's a surprise."

"A _surprise_?" she asked, doubt lining the edge of her voice.

He inclined his head to her.

"Why is it that I'm thinking I'm not going to like this?"

"Oh, you will like this surprise."

"How do you know?"

"Believe me, I _know_."

"Really? Because the last few surprises you gave me involved me half jumping out of my skin... And I've got to tell you, I wasn't _too_ fond of that."

To that, he simply grinned.

"Trust me," Loki said, his eyes glinting.

When he held out a hand for her to take, she knew she had to take it. More than just her curiosity pushed her to it. She didn't think she could face the look in his eyes if she displayed another obvious lack of trust in him. Sigyn narrowed her own eyes slightly and thought, _I guess I've got to start trusting him at some point..._

She slowly placed her hand in his. As soon as she did, she felt his fingers close around hers and let him pull her closer to him, their bodies almost touching. She looked at him, uncomprehendingly. This _wasn't_ what she'd meant by getting to know one another.

But she realised immediately that she was mistaken about what was happening when she felt a sudden whoosh of air from around her and a pull at her body from all around. Sigyn couldn't help but throw her free arm around Loki, clinging to him as the sensation made them disappear from the room. She closed her eyes, uncertain as to what was happening.

She stayed in that position for a few moments after the strange feeling subsided, not even opening her eyes. But when she did, she quickly looked up to find Loki smirking down at her. Sigyn let go of him immediately and took a few steps back, embarrassed by her own actions and how they could be construed. She looked away from Loki, almost certain that he only wore that knowing smirk to prolong her discomfort.

It was only then that she noticed the bright light around them. She looked around confused, only to find that they were no longer in her house, but a small meadow, surrounded by a wall of trees, instead. She could only stare at the sight; it was beautiful.

A stretch of healthy grass extended before them, so clean and fresh that it almost looked untouched. At its end ran a stream, a small trickle of water that made a tinkling noise as it flowed. But the most beautiful thing about the meadow were the golden flowers that were dotted around it, reflecting the sunlight like tiny jewels.

"Where are we?" she asked, still staring open-mouthed.

"Somewhere."

"Could you be more specific?"

"Somewhere that we will be able to go undisturbed," he replied, smirking slightly.

She shook her head at his enigmatic answer. That was typical. She should have known by now that she wouldn't get a straight answer out of him. Sigyn didn't hear him approach, but Loki was next to her again in a moment, one of those beautiful flowers in his hand. Her eyes followed his hand as he tucked it behind her ear, letting it adorn her beautiful curls.

She smiled at the gesture; it was so small, and yet so lovely. She surprised him then though, by swiftly taking a seat on the grass, leaving his hand still raised beside where her ear had been. He looked down at her for a moment, his eyebrows rising questioningly.

"Aren't you going to sit?" she asked, smiling a little at the way he was looking at her.

He stared at her for a long time before finally, and a little awkwardly, joining her. Loki sat beside her, watching her whilst she ran her fingers lightly over the lush grass, sighing contentedly. His eyes followed her movements yet he made no move himself. In fact, as Loki sat beside her, he could have been described as looking a little uncomfortable. He wasn't uncomfortable though, he just wasn't quite as relaxed as Sigyn was.

"This place is beautiful," she commented.

"It is."

"I'm confused about something though..."

He gave her a curious glance.

"I would like an honest answer too- for the sake of getting to know you, of course."

His lip twitched, as he answered, "Of course.

She was almost as good as him at convincing people to do things. _Almost_.

"How did you bring us here?"

"Magic," was his simple reply.

She nodded slowly, pausing as she ran her hand through tufts of grass.

"So do you just... use magic for whatever you want then?"

"For the most part," Loki answered. "Not for everything though; if I did that then we probably wouldn't be having this conversation."

At that, Sigyn looked down at her lap. _Was that him basically admitting that he wants _me_?_ she thought blankly. A finger slid under her chin and lifted it, pulling her eyes up to look at him again.

"You asked for honesty," Loki said quietly.

She could feel heat spreading over her cheeks, almost as if she was blushing. _I_ don't _blush_... she thought, but she couldn't cool her cheeks while looking at Loki like that.

"I did... But I have more that I want to know," she said, trying to change the subject so that she could at least look at him properly. "Tell me about yourself."

He sighed, letting his finger drop from her chin.

"What exactly do you want to know, little Sigyn?"

"You said we are similar, what did you mean by that?"

He blinked slowly, and then replied, "We _are_ similar. Think back to when you saw me before we first spoke- and I _know_ you saw me before you say otherwise."

She frowned a little, thinking about it. When she'd seen him before, Loki had always been alone. And he'd usually been reading in the library. But did that make them that familiar?

"So you like to read and you are not too fond of company; I guess we're similar in that sense," she said.

He nodded and went on to explain, "I am not fond of the company of others, and it's rather a mutual feeling on their part too. People don't tend to understand my ways; you seem to though."

"Believe me, I _don't_ understand them," Sigyn smiled.

"Perhaps not; but you cope with them in the most beautiful of ways."

She looked at him, not knowing what to say to that. There was that word again; _'cope'_. Why was that so important to him? He smiled a little at her speechlessness and reached a hand out to lightly touch her neck, just below her jaw.

"You must realise that another might have recoiled at the prospect of being courted by _Prince Loki_," he said, almost sneering at his own name.

"Why would they do that?" she frowned.

"Why do you not trust me?" Loki countered.

Sigyn faltered slightly, and his hand fell away from her.

"I don't automatically trust you, Loki, because I don't know you; I would be the same with anyone."

"Would you now?" he asked quietly, a tenseness returning to his voice.

"Yes, I would," she said, making sure to emphasise the point.

"So your reluctance has nothing to do with my brother?" his voice was filled with even more of that same measured and heavy edge.

Sigyn frowned at him, and bemusedly asked, "What has your brother got to do with anything?"

His lips pressed together for a moment and his eyes found the floor. When he looked back up at her, a strange glint, a _pained_ glint in his eyes.

"I realise that I am no Thor-" he started but she cut him off.

"Wait a second, do you think that that's what I want you to be?"

"Like I said, another might recoil at the prospect of being courted by me," he said quietly.

"I wouldn't want to know the you that thinks he has to be his brother. You are two completely different people- I know, I've met both of you. And who am I sat here with?"

Loki said nothing.

"I want to know the real _you_, Loki, not your brother... Even if the real you likes making me jump a _little_ bit too much."

He smirked, tension easing from his brow.

"You have no idea, little Sigyn."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sooooo another day of two updates in one day. :) I just couldn't help myself. :) Plus, I've only got Chapter 18 left to write and then the whole thing'll be done, so I've been feeling a bit mean hanging on to already written chapters. :)**

**Kit xx**


	14. Thinking It Over

She and Loki stayed in that meadow for the rest of the day and, miraculously, Sigyn kept him talking about himself for quite a while. He was more informative than she'd thought that he would be, and occasionally he would rebuff topics she suggested. But Sigyn still felt satisfied that she'd gotten to know him a little better.

The rest of the time they were in the meadow, they'd spent in silence. But a comfortable silence. It was as if they did not feel the need to fill the silence. As if it was just as relaxing and they were just as at ease, when neither of them spoke. Sigyn found it odd later when she thought about it, but not in a bad way. It was nice, actually.

Loki returned her to her home, leaving her at the door to her house with a kiss on each cheek. Sigyn felt herself blushing again though she tried to stop it. Then he disappeared again, as he was so skilled at doing. Sigyn stared at the empty space he had so formerly occupied and cursed herself.

_Why am I blushing? I _never_ blush,_ she thought, irritated at herself. She knew that she had to calm her blush down before going inside; her sisters would have a field day if they saw her like that. So Sigyn sat down on a stone wall outside her house, watching the sun as it started to go down. She had to think. _That will calm me down_, she thought, or rather, _hoped_.

The day had been extremely informative as well as pleasant, she thought. She'd discovered that Loki seemed to have some issues though; not ones that threatened to scare her away from him. Just issues, though. What Loki had said about his brother was strange... _Was he worried that I wanted Thor and not him?_ Sigyn wondered.

Thinking about it more carefully, she realised that at the wedding she'd seen many women and girls fawning over Thor. And not just then; people just seemed to adore him. Take her sisters, for example; they'd been so excited when they thought Thor could be courting one of them, and then their faces had fallen when their father revealed it was Loki instead.

Sigyn frowned. Thor had seemed nice enough when she'd met him. But too loud. And too... playful in a boisterous kind of way that just did nothing to impress her. But there was something about Loki, even if he annoyed her- even if her frustrated her- there was something about him that endeared him to her.

Sigyn realised that she was actually starting to enjoy Loki's company, much more than she had thought she would at first. The God of Mischief and Lies was growing on her now that she was starting to see him as a person. Admittedly, a person that liked to play tricks on her occasionally, but a person all the same. And a person that was worming his way into her life.

Spending the day with him, just the two of them, had been nice. There had been nothing else to interrupt them- no other factors to distract or worry her. It really was nice. And... _Loki_ was nice- Well, not necessarily _nice_; but he was friendly and polite and respectful. And the way he looked at her made her feel nervous and sort of... special at the same time.

She thought it odd. Sigyn had never felt anything like this before, and she never thought she would. She was so... _different_ that she didn't think anyone would accept her the way that Loki was doing. But he was. And he was accepting her for _her_. He didn't mind that she read or got angry- in fact, he seemed to like both of those things.

This courting was actually leading somewhere; and Sigyn was starting to think that she almost wouldn't mind if she ended up marrying him. That was just a thought though... A future that might never come to pass. But a possibility all the same. _Hm_... she thought.

But she shook her head, at the same time shaking herself out of her thoughts. They weren't things that she needed to dwell on right now. Sigyn got up from her seat on the wall and entered her house. Catching sight of her sisters as soon as she walked in, she found herself glad that she had taken the time to calm her blush down before coming in.

"So how was your outing with Prince Lying?"

"You were out an _awfully_ long time."

"Don't call him that," Sigyn replied with a frown.

"Why not?" Dagný asked innocently.

"Because he's more than just the God of Lies."

"Oh yes, he's also the trickster," Lifa chipped in. "Is he still scaring you for fun, sister?"

Sigyn's frown became a scowl, but she reasoned that she might as well set that straight.

"When I spoke to Thor at the celebration after the wedding, he basically said that that's the way Loki likes to flirt, I guess. By untraditional means."

Dagný giggled, "It's like a school romance! The boys are mean to girls when the like them."

Lifa grinned at her twin sister and added, "Or maybe he's just an ars-"

"Lifa, don't you dare finish that sentence; I do _not_ want to hear a word like that coming out of your mouth and neither does anyone else. Besides, he is _not_ one of those."

"Touchy."

"He just has an odd sense of humour," Sigyn tried to explain.

"Well you wouldn't see me sticking around through that."

"Me either. Who needs craziness like that?" Dagný said.

Her sisters chose then to leave her alone, departing the room giggling at something they'd clearly found amusing from their conversation. Sigyn realised then that Loki was right. _Why is it that I can deal with his amusements when others would not?_ she wondered. _Maybe it's because we are so similar. Or maybe it's because he can deal with my faults, so I can deal with his..._

_Maybe we _are_ perfect for each other..._

* * *

**Author's Note: I know, short chapter; **_**but**_** I'm going to post another one later today. :) Hope you guys like it and will let me know what you think! :D Also, it's my brother's 8th birthday today and he made me get up before 7am. In my mind there is only one 6 o'clock and it comes with 'pm' attached to it.**

**Kit xx**


	15. Meeting His Mother

The next morning brought news from the palace in the form of a letter. Sigyn stared at the paper in her hand that had appeared while she'd been reading. It was invitation, or rather, another summons from Loki that requested her presence at the palace.

She found it strange that he would return to such formality when he'd already popped into her room for a kiss. With the fact that he could do that established, she wondered again about the formality. It was strange. But Sigyn went to the palace at his request anyway. And the guards she had only recently become properly acquainted with let her pass without complaint. The only thing that she found out of the ordinary was when Njal wished her good luck as she passed.

"What do you mean?" Sigyn asked, pausing.

Njal looked as if he was about to say something, but a look from Halvar silenced him.

"Just... good luck," he said, instead of whatever he had been about to say.

She walked away, wondering what was going on. She found the summons and now Njal's behaviour all rather _odd_; but Sigyn just couldn't quite figure out why... _again_. This feeling of not knowing was coming over her all too frequently lately and she wasn't fond of it.

Sigyn noticed Loki from a while away, standing beside a huge open doorway, waiting for her. He was leaning against one of the stone pillars that framed the door, but even then, she could tell that something was wrong. As she got closer to him, her feeling of unease grew. Loki looked almost uncertain, and that hard edge had returned to his expression.

"What's wrong?" she asked, confused as she came to a stop beside him.

He stared at her for a while as if she had said something that she shouldn't have.

"Why would you think that something is wrong?" he answered, his voice pointedly level.

"Your expression..." she answered, tilting her head to the side. "I only ever see it when there's something bothering you."

He continued to stare at her at her for some time, a flicker of surprise crossing his expression.

"Perhaps I'm not the only observant one," he said, one brow raising as a tiny smirk played on his lips.

"So what is it?" she asked, refusing to allow him to distract her from finding out what was going on.

Eventually, Loki sighed and conceded in giving her an answer. He had to, after all.

"My mother wants to meet you."

"Your mother?" Sigyn blinked.

Loki nodded once.

"As in the _Queen_?"

"Yes, she _would_ be my mother..." he said as she stated the obvious.

"And... you're worried because... that's a _bad_ thing?" she started uncertainly.

He looked to his right, into the corridor stretching out beside them.

"Well, that depends if she likes you or not," he answered, looking back at her with a sideways glance.

"Oh alright, that makes me feel _so_ much better about this..." Sigyn said sarcastically.

A small and fleeting smile crossed his expression as Loki took her hand and kissed it gently. But almost hurriedly.

"You will be fine."

"Wait a second- I'm meeting her _now_?"

"Yes," he answered, pulling her along down a corridor.

_Oh brilliant, _she thought as she trailed after Loki. She didn't know where in the palace he was taking her, but she knew that whenever they stopped, he would be leaving her to meet his mother. And that unnerved her. Sigyn spent the whole time Loki tugged her through the palace fretting about this upcoming meeting. What would she say to Lokis mother? _Hello, I'm the girl your son is courting._ Yes, _that_ wasn't going to be awkward at all...

Eventually, after many corridors and turns, Loki stop before an ornate door that was edged by a golden frame. He left her outside the door, once again pressing a kiss to her hand before swiftly departing. Sigyn frowned. At least this explained what the formality was for. And why Njal and Halvar had acted so strangely. Well, _Halvar_ hadn't acted strangely- he'd been as surly as usual- but it explained Njal's abnormal behaviour anyway.

_This had better go well_, she told herself. Loki may have liked the different and unusual things about her, but would his mother? Sigyn hoped so. What bothered her was why Loki seemed so worried. And why Njal had bid her good luck. Was _everyone_ expecting this meeting to go badly or something? _I guess I'll have to find out..._ So Sigyn knocked reluctantly and waited for a reply.

"Come," she heard a woman's voce say through the door.

She pushed open the door and walked in slowly. Looking up, Sigyn saw that the adjoining room was a sort of conservatory, a wall and its ceiling made of glass that allowed for perfect observation of the city beyond. She saw the Queen sat at a small metal table, two goblets placed before her. Sigyn could see the Queen looking her up and down slowly and she started to feel self-conscious again.

"Close the door, dear."

She did, and then just stood awkwardly beside it.

"Do come and take a seat, I didn't ask you here just to have you stand in a doorway."

Slowly, Sigyn approached the Queen, finally taking a seat opposite to her.

"So _you're_ the one that my son is courting then?"

Not knowing what else to do, she just nodded dumbly.

"Well, say something dear, I didn't ask you here so that you could just stare at me in silence either."

Blinking, Sigyn stirred herself into motion abruptly, "Forgive me, my queen, I'm just... wondering why it is that you asked me here?"

Frigga looked at her, considering her for a minute or so.

"I wanted to meet the woman that has managed to capture my son's attention; that is a rare achievement, you know," she added quietly.

Sigyn looked at her lap for a moment, attempting to think on the Queen's words. She didn't get much of a chance before she was blindsided by a question though.

"Do you like him?"

She looked back up, surprised by the queen's boldness. _Well, _that_ was certainly blunt. _But Sigyn saw a curiosity, and an affection in the older woman's eyes that made her think better of it. That made her remember that this was a mother enquiring about her son's... relationship? Was that the right word?

"I... I think, I do..." she said shyly.

"You _think_, my dear?"

"Well..."

Slightly nervous, she really had to think of her reply. She'd spent so much time thinking lately; and it was all because of Loki. And it made sense now. She'd only been obsessing over the things that had happened because she _did_ like him.

"Yes; I do," Sigyn answered eventually.

To that the Queen smiled at her.

"Good. I am glad; because my son certainly likes you. I've not seen him act so affectionately... _ever_, I think."

"You think he does truly like me then?" Sigyn questioned, leaning forward in her chair slightly.

Frigga's smile became sad for a moment.

"I know my son lies and he plays tricks; but I also know that this is not one of them."

"It's not?"

"I wondered if I might have to clarify this, you know," Frigga confirmed.

"I'm sorry if it seems that I am doubting your son-" Sigyn started to apologise.

"No, you are right to."

She blinked at the Queen's words.

"Loki does lie. He's the _God_ of Lying; it is expected and only natural that you should. I might think you a little strange should you not be questioning such things."

"But... you're saying that he's _not_ lying about this...?" Sigyn enquired, just to confirm.

Frigga nodded, an attempt to wave away the uncertainty in the woman his son was courting.

"Wow..." Sigyn replied, sighing the word. "I must thank you for asking me here; you've made things far easier for me to understand."

"I had a feeling I might," Frigga reasoned. "I want my son to be happy, and if you can bring him that then you will have a friend, and a mother-in-law in me."

The queen took her hand, a slight smile on her lips. Sigyn blinked at that. She didn't know what to say, so she just smiled back.

* * *

**Author's Note: So, once again, second chapter of the day. :) Hope you guys like it! :)**

**Just wondering if anyone wants to do all my revision for the exam I have on Friday? No? No takers? Why does that not surprise me? Oh, _I know_, because it is the most sinfully boring thing that I have ever done in my life. Don't let me drag you guys in. I'm just ranting... ;P**

**Kit xx**


	16. Knowing What To Say

When Sigyn left the room in which she'd met the Queen, she was feeling a lot better about things. But Loki, it seemed, was not too happy to be absent from the conversation she'd had with his mother, as she found him anxiously waiting for her in the hallway.

She was surprised to see that emotion troubling Loki. He didn't seem the type to get worried like this, yet she could tell how serious he was by the way he took her hand somewhat rigidly. _Odd_, she thought. _He seems so concerned about what just happened..._ But Sigyn couldn't quite understand why; the conversation she'd had with the Queen had been perfectly fine.

"What did my mother say?" he said, anxiety hanging in his tone.

"Why? Are you worried? she asked curiously.

She saw his lips purse slightly, his glance shifting as he stared at her.

"You _are_ worried," she smiled teasingly. "Well don't be; you've got _nothing_ to worry about."

He looked almost surprised at her answer.

"I haven't?" he asked, a cautious edge to his voice.

She frowned slightly.

"What did you think she was going to say?"

He looked to the floor for the tiniest of moments and then back to her.

"What did she say?" he asked again.

Sigyn couldn't help but feel a little sad at the fact that he felt he had to ask, so she said, "Well, she loves you, so like any other she wanted know my intentions with you."

She smiled and added, "She kept asking me if I felt the same as you do. I got a little nervous at one point actually, because she wasn't going to let me go until I told her something."

Her smile turned to a grin as she continued, "But she _did_ help me to understand a few things."

"Like what?" he blinked.

Sigyn squeezed his hand.

"Only good things," she confirmed.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"You could try asking your mother," Sigyn grinned. "Or perhaps being patient?"

Loki's lips turned upward at the corners as she turned his own words back on him. He leaned just close enough to her to place a kiss on her forehead. Perhaps he could deal with not knowing... Or he'd just find out at another point in time. Loki resolved to do the latter, satisfied, at least, that nothing bad had happened between Sigyn and his mother.

Since he knew that he would get no more information out of her, he decided that they should go to the library. They had not been there together since the first time he'd taken the initiative and spoken to her. And Loki was well aware of how much she enjoyed being there.

He knew also, that she had not been particularly been getting along with the Archive Keeper since his little trick with her book. The man still wasn't back to trusting her fully, which amused him at the same time as irritated her. But Sigyn had convinced him to allow her to take books home once more so Loki wasn't too concerned by the matter.

They settled in a spot that Sigyn had seen Loki sat in many times. It was a corner of the library, not dark, but relatively hidden from view. And there was a small, round table set up beside the wall with two chairs either side of it- though Sigyn was relatively certain that there had only been one chair there before.

Loki held out a hand and gestured for her to take a seat in the chair opposite to the one he usually used. But Sigyn didn't sit. She just smiled at him for a second and leant against the edge of the table. Loki just shook his head at her and sat down in his own seat. It was almost comic to have seen them sat like that; with their differing heights, they were almost at eye level to each other even though Sigyn was still standing.

"I'm going to go and find a book," she said, pushing herself off of the table after a while.

His fingers caught her wrist and she paused. Looking back to him, she smiled slightly but let out a long and heavy sigh.

"You know, you have to let go of me if I'm going to get a book."

Loki's mouth formed a sideways smile as he replied, "You know, I could just bring any book you wanted here. I don't have to let go at all."

She let out a small laugh and returned to lean on that small table again, resting her weight against it.

"What if I like looking for books?"

"What if you fell while looking for one?" he countered. "You do have a tendency to fall I've noticed."

"Oh _ha ha_," she said, rolling her eyes.

She was about to reply that she only had a 'tendency to fall' when he felt like amusing himself, but she didn't get the opportunity. Loki grinned, and with a wave of his free hand, the table she leant on disappeared. Sigyn let out a small scream as she fell backward, only to land on a huge cushion that Loki had replaced the table with.

"_What_ was that?"

They could hear the Archive Keeper raging from columns of shelving away and Sigyn met Loki's eye.

"That wasn't nice," Sigyn said, shooting him an unimpressed glare.

Loki shrugged, still grinning as he waved a hand and the cushion became a table once more, with Sigyn still sat atop it. She didn't have time to say anything more to him before the Archive Keeper rounded a shelf to see them. All she really had time to do was push herself off of the table before he yelled at her for that too.

Sigyn pointed at Loki before the Archive Keeper began shouting and said accusingly, "That was him- his fault, I mean."

"Thank you for the support..." he murmured, smirking slightly.

"Well, _sorry_," she whispered back. "But maybe you do kind of deserve it a little."

His smirk only grew at that. Both of them knew that she wasn't really sorry though. Both of them knew that Loki was in a far better position to deal with the Archive Keeper than Sigyn was. And both of them knew that he was far more likely to talk himself out of the situation than Sigyn was.

"What d'you think you're doing?" an already raised voice yelled.

Loki turned his head and the Archive Keeper caught sight of the man, or rather _Prince_, he was starting to yell at. Though it seemed that even royalty could not curb the vigour of his anger.

"Don't care if you're the prince, not in my library you don't. There'll be none of that ridiculous noisemaking in here!"

Loki somehow managed to restrain a smirk, though Sigyn could tell that it was hard for him.

"My apologies. We were just marvelling at the wonderful condition in which you keep the library and I'm afraid my friend here may have gotten a little too excited about it. You are doing a wonderful job at keeping this place in such excellent order by the way," he said, his words soothing anger that Sigyn knew could not easily be calmed.

The Archive Keeper stared at him for a while with a familiar frown on his face.

Eventually, he clicked his tongue and said, "Yes, well..."

At that he turned to Sigyn and added, "Least I know he _did_ steal your book then... No more stealing and noisying."

The last part was directed at them both, it seemed. But the Archive Keeper said nothing more, and then he walked away, leaving the two where they were and without any sort of punishment.

"I got '_a little excited_'?" Sigyn said, raising her eyebrows.

"He left, didn't he?" Loki replied.

"I _cannot_ believe you just said that- and I can't believe you just got off so easily!" she said, a little outraged.

"Hm?"

"He'd probably have shouted at me for a while and then thrown me out of here for a couple of days if that'd been me. But you just talked him into going- without even shouting at you."

"It was a good job that it was not you that offended him then," he answered smirking a little.

"True..."

Then she caught Loki looking at her as she stood beside him, amusement in his expression. She frowned a little, not understanding the look he was giving her.

"What?" Sigyn asked, uncomprehendingly.

"You told him that I stole your book."

"You _did_," she reasoned.

"I wouldn't consider it _stealing_ necessarily-"

"Oh, and what _would_ you consider it as then?" she interrupted.

"How about Loki started, pausing only to pull her into his lap, an action that caused a little squeak of noise to slip out of her mouth.

"-A means to an end," he finished.

Sigyn raised her eyebrows at him questioningly. _What does he mean by that?_ she wondered. Seeing her expression, he decided, for once, to answer her.

"It brought you to me, didn't it?" he said, his eyes meeting hers.

She smiled slightly, unable to stop the expression coming to light her features. _He always _does_ know what to say_, she thought, knowing that, in this case, it was a good thing.

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**Author's Note: So another chapter for you guys. Revision's going about as well as a dump truck rolling over a rat (don't ask) right now. I've resorted to colourful envelopes, and felt pen key quotes, themes, characters and structure points. Kill me now.**

**Kit xx**


	17. Asking The Question

Their courting continued for another few weeks, and each time they met, their relationship solidified. Doubts once had were lessened over time, and Sigyn started to understand her suitor as she had requested- well, perhaps not _understand_; but she _had_ gotten to know him far better.

When the days were wet or rainy, they spent their time in the library, reading in that quiet corner of Loki's. And when it was sunny, they would walk or sit in the palace gardens. On one of those such sunny days, Loki took Sigyn out walking in the forest that she was familiar with. The forest where her secret reading place was. But that wasn't where Loki led her.

Instead, he took her further into the forest, further in than she would have gone alone for fear of getting lost. Of course, that fear of getting lost when alone came slightly into play when Loki thought it would amusing to disappear. Sigyn blinked. He had just been beside her, and then he was gone. However long she'd been around Loki, she wasn't sure that she'd ever get used to that.

"This isn't funny, Loki," she said, looking around and trying to find him.

She'd learnt that he'd be impossible to find now though. She never had been able to see him when he didn't want to be seen. That didn't stop her trying though. Her eyes searched the trees around her as she continued to walk.

Sigyn was well aware that he was going to jump out at her, or surprise her in some way, but in times like these, she knew it would be better for her if she just got on with it and played along.

But even when she knew that it was coming, she couldn't stop herself from jumping as Loki appeared from behind a tree and grabbed her waist from behind. She was even more surprised when she felt him lifting her up to swing her around in a circle. She grinned without even realising it until after her feet touched the ground again.

"Yes, it is. _Admit_ it, you secretly enjoy this," he whispered in her ear.

The mock shocked expression that Sigyn put on only made him smile. She twisted in his arms- arms that remained resting around her waist.

When she was looking at him, she asked, "How is it that you still manage to make me jump when I _know_ that you're going to do it?"

"Practice..." he smirked. "Although you could just say that I'm naturally gifted at such things."

She rolled her eyes.

"Well aren't we the modest one?" she replied dryly.

Loki grinned, letting one arm slip from her waist while the other stayed in place. And he used that leverage to pull her around and lead her in a specific direction.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"No."

"Thought not."

Sigyn soon found out though, as the two of them ended up in the meadow he'd magicked them into weeks ago. It was as beautiful as it was before and only slightly changed in their absence. The golden colouring of the flowers had turned to a shimmering bronze in the light, but that was the only difference that Sigyn could spot.

She sighed, "This place is so beautiful."

"And now you know how to get here."

"But surely other people can find it too, then?"

Loki shook his head at that and replied, "Only you and I have ever set foot here. And I've made sure that it will remain as such."

Sigyn tilted her head to the side as she looked at him. _I can't really fault him for that_, she thought. He'd given them a special place; a place that only they knew about. And she couldn't help but smile at his actions. _It's really quite sweet..._ she thought.

But before he could see it coming, Sigyn pulled Loki to the ground, where she quickly sat with crossed legs. She grinned at him, the expression on his face revealing that, for once, she had taken _him_ off guard and caught him by surprise. Sigyn thought that it was a nice feeling. _I can see why he does it so often._

"I guess we're sitting, then," Loki said dryly.

"Yes; we _are_," she smiled.

They said nothing for a long while, and just sat together enjoying the sunlight and silence. Sigyn didn't realise that Loki was watching her whilst they sat there. She hadn't kept her expressions as closely monitored as she would have done otherwise whilst thinking.

"There's something troubling you," he said.

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Maybe," she replied.

"So that's a yes."

She shrugged, trying to brush off his concerned curiosity.

"Well?"

Sigyn sighed. She was going to have to tell him at some point. Since he'd noticed that something was wrong, she was relatively certain that he'd get the information out of her anyway. _Better sooner than later_, _I guess_, she thought.

"You know... I... No, I can't," she started, but quickly, nervously, cut herself off.

"_Sigyn_," Loki said seriously.

She sighed again before answering, "Alright, alright... I've just been thinking about things."

"What things?"

"You, this, _us_..." she shrugged, carefully slipping her hand into his.

"You know, I doubted your affection for quite some time... Then I spoke to your mother, and... she made me understand why I've been doubting you without even realising that I'm doing it."

"And why is that?" he asked, keeping his voice a level mask.

"It's because... because I actually _like_ you, and I enjoy spending time with you- even when you're playing tricks on me... And I..."

She took a breath before finishing.

"I don't _want_ any of this to be a lie."

Loki tilted his head to the side, levelling her with an odd glance. _That_ was what had been troubling her so much? _That_ was what was making her frown so much? She thought he was _lying_ about all this?

"Say something," she said, her voice quiet.

"Marry me."

She blinked, staring at him. _Did he just...? Technically, he _did_. He just asked me to marry him._ Marry him... Marry _Loki_. To do so would mean a lifetime of tricks; and a lifetime of jumping. Undoubtedly, a lifetime of frustration too. But for some reason that only excited her- because saying yes, also meant a lifetime of _him_. That smirk. The way that she felt comfortable just being with him and saying nothing- something she felt with no other. The way that he managed to make her feel things that no other could bring out in her.

Smiling slightly and biting her lip, Sigyn nodded. A grin took hold of his expression at her silent reply and only grew when her silence became an unexpected giggle that she could not stop. The fact that she'd agreed to marry Loki, _actually_ agreed, made her happy. Oddly happy. And that was far more than she had ever expected when the God of Mischief had first introduced himself by making her jump in the library all that time ago.

"I think a kiss might be in order right about now," Loki said, a glint of happiness easing into his tone.

Sigyn needed no encouragement. Straight away, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. This time she was a lot more forward than she had been before. He suspected that it was because she felt free to do so now that they were officially to be married.

He had no idea that it was because she really _did_ want to kiss him; and her sudden, if a little unforeseen, happiness was only making her want to all the more. Eventually, Sigyn ended the kiss, surprised that, for once, it was her that finished it.

"That's four," she whispered. "You only have one left and the terms of our bargain will be complete."

"Then I'd better save it for a special occasion," he grinned.

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**Author's Note: Hi guys, hope you're enjoying the fic! Only one chapter left now. :)**

**Kit xx**


	18. Finding Happiness

Sigyn stared into the full-length mirror in the room of the palace that she'd been given to prepare herself. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she looked at herself and thought about what she was doing. _This is really happening. I'm getting married._

If she was truly honest with herself, she'd never seen this day coming. She was so different. And so... _particular_. Sigyn had never thought that anyone would accept her and she wasn't planning to compromise just to please someone else. But with Loki she didn't feel like she was compromising, and only after meeting him could she see the possibility of marriage being in her future.

Loki seemed to understand her like no one else did. He let her be herself. And, in return, she let him do the same. She accepted the way he liked to do things that were unexpected. She accepted the way that he seemed to like to be in control of things. The way he thought it was funny to surprise her. And she did it because she knew now that that was just part of his nature. Who was she to question what made him him?

It wasn't like any of the things he did had ever hurt her. It wasn't like any of those things had really even put her off him. Surprisingly, they'd grown on her. A shock here, a jump there; it wasn't that bad. And it seemed to make him happy, which in turn made her happy.

Sigyn discovered that she felt comfortable with him regardless of the trick she knew could be coming at any moment. And she realised now that she was fine with everything that might have turned any other person away, because she loved him. Not just liked. _Love_.

When the transition between the two had occurred, she didn't know; but it _had_ happened. She'd found herself looking forward to every moment that she could spend with him. Even when he annoyed her and frustrated her, he always managed to find a way to convince her into forgiving him. Somewhere along the weeks he had spent courting her, she had fallen for him.

And here she was, standing in front of a mirror, staring at herself as she wore the dress she was to be married in. Her silver eyes looked her reflection up and down slowly. The dress she wore was beautiful; it had been a wedding gift from the Queen.

White in colour, the main body of the dress was sleeveless, with a fitted corset bodice that fishtailed at the knee. The bottom of it touched the floor and stretched out behind her in a long train. And her shoulders were covered with a sheer white material that hung down loosely over her arms.

Sigyn's hair had been left loose, her long curls draped down her back. And she looked beautiful; she knew she did, though she wasn't quite sure how. She never normally looked like this. But she had allowed the handmaidens that the Queen had insisted she have with her dress her in such a way.

Besides, she _did_ want to look nice. _How many weddings does a girl get, after all?_ she thought. But she smirked as she mentally corrected herself, _Apparently one more than I thought I would. _It wasn't too long before one of the handmaidens the Queen had provided her with came to collect her, entering the room with a quiet knock.

"It is time, my lady," the woman said.

Sigyn was about to correct her for calling her 'my lady', just as she had done with Thor, but she realised it was going to be something that she'd have to get used to. After she married Loki, she would _technically_ be a Lady... A Princess. She didn't quite understand how she and that title had ever even been able to be said in the same sentence. It just didn't fit. She was never meant to be a lady. But being a lady came with marrying Loki; and Sigyn was pretty certain that she _was_ meant to be with him.

She nodded and followed the handmaiden out of the room. It didn't take all that long to reach the mammoth hall where all weddings were held. Where hers was to be held. The hall was full when the handmaiden led her to it. A gathering of people stood in two crowded rows, only an empty walkway separating them to allow her to pass through.

As Sigyn looked at them, she thought about how she had been a member of such a crowd not so long ago. And Dagný had taunted her about how this could potentially happen. That possibility was coming into fruition; and Sigyn was starting to feel incredibly nervous. _This is really going to happen_, she thought, taking a deep breath in an effort to keep herself calm.

She began to walk through the pathway that had been left free of bodies, all the while staring at her destination rather than the vast number of people whose eyes, she knew, were all trained on her. The Allfather stood directly in front of her at the head of the hall, looking royal and magnificent as he always did. She saw four people that she'd never met but knew to be the Warriors Three and Lady Sif stood on his left, while the Queen and Thor stood off to his right; behind Loki.

Loki. Her husband-to-be was decked out in full armour, even his helmet, that made him seem impossibly taller than he had been before. It was so odd to see Loki in anything other than his normal black and green attire. In all the time she had known him, they were the only colours she'd seen him wear. They were _his_ colours.

He was still wearing them, just in his armour, it made him look so... regal. Different almost. It nearly unnerved her a little too. He was _so_... She didn't even know. But Loki wasn't looking at her yet like everyone else was; he was looking at the floor instead. She didn't know why, but she didn't question it. She didn't have time to. Because as soon as she noticed it, he looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

Sigyn's breath caught in her throat slightly as he did. There was a certain reassurance in the look in his eyes that calmed her though. It was a glance that made her nervousness seem to wash away quickly. And then she knew, she was there for the right reason. She loved him.

When she reached the end of the aisle, Sigyn and Loki came together before the Allfather. As was tradition, they respectfully repeated the vows the Allfather said, swearing to them for eternity. Each kneeling down, they kissed the other's ring finger in turn. The two of them didn't take their eyes off of each other until the All Father proclaimed them married. To forever be together as husband and wife. And as he did, the crowd broke into a rumble of cheers and applause.

Loki took the opportunity to lean over to Sigyn and whispers into her ear over the thunderous applause surrounding them, "You are beautiful."

She could feel her cheeks reddening, but she didn't much care anymore. And she cared even less when he went on to whisper a vow on top of those he'd already uttered, to be with her always, to love her. A vow that only she could hear. He may have been the God of Lying, but he wasn't lying now.

Just as Loki pulled back from placing a soft kiss on her forehead, Thor came up behind him and caught him in a brotherly hug, tearing him away from his new bride for but a moment. She watched as the Warriors Three and Lady Sif too went to congratulate him.

Sigyn used the brief moment to take the time to look around at the splendorous crowd around them. She saw her father smiling at her. The twins too were grinning, and, for once, were silent. She'd take that as a wedding gift any day.

Her eyes found Halvar and Njal amongst the others; she'd invited them, but asked Loki to ensure their presence, which he had. Njal smiled at her and she could have sworn that Halvar didn't look as grumpy as he usually did. They seemed to have played quite a part or at least have been present since the beginning of she and Loki's courting so Sigyn had made sure that they were there at their wedding.

She'd tried to invite the Archive Keeper too, who, in her opinion, was in need of a good drink, but he had refused with a, "I'm not leaving here; who _knows_ what'll happen to the books!"

A touch on Sigyn's arm brought her attention back to Loki; to her husband. His hand on the small of her back gently pulled her around to face him again. Sigyn stared at him, beaming happily. She could see in his expression that he was happy too; even his eyes seemed to be smiling at her.

"I believe you owe me a kiss," Loki said, grinning.

If it was possible, Sigyn's smile grew as she replied, "A kiss freely given..."

Her lips found his quickly, and a hoot rose up from the crowd. Sigyn didn't care. The hand on her back pressed her to him as her arms slid around his neck, entwining them in an embrace that would end their bargain, but be the start of a whole new one. Sigyn could only smile into his lips at the thought. Finally, she pulled away from him, just enough so that their lips were no longer touching, but that she could lean her forehead against his.

So that only he could hear her, Sigyn whispered, "_Whenever_ you should ask."

* * *

**Author's Note: So that's it guys! The end of 'Five Kisses'. :) What can I say? I've really enjoyed writing this story- and the fact that I did is mainly due to my awesome housemate Lana, aka AngelofSilkenRoses. :D Erm, so yeah; the end and stuff. :P Well actually, not really. :P**

**If I hadn't already been planning it, which I had, the number of you guys that have asked me to do a sequel would have persuaded me. If you're interested, look out for upcoming oneshots and then a sequel that takes place during Thor and the Avengers.**

**Now I'm gunna go and drive back to Uni so that I can fail my exam tomorrow! Yayyy! :P**

**Kit xx**


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